Northern Pipe Products is today experiencing unprecedented efficiencies, employee involvement, a vibrant and desired training program, record output per-man hour, and lowest overall waste in company history. What it did and learned over five years is the story of this book.The science of Self-Directed Work Teams resides in the realization that chance and stewardship are different sides of the same coin. Admitting to the obvious truth of infinite human variation dismantles the notion of truly controlling people. If not in their actions, surely in their minds and reflected in their attitudes people resent being told what to do. They much prefer to be told why something must be done and then allowed to apply their unique talents and strengths to manage the assignment. Leaders who understand and therefore respect individual differences use diversity to create value, allowing the insights of others to create often-superior approaches. This story could have taken place in a hospital, school, supermarket, or any other organization that requires people to work together for the greater good. Regardless of the setting, be it computer service, healthcare, education, manufacturing or child care, what follows could just as well be your story. Because it’s about people and their unlimited potential to achieve extraordinary things, the manufacture of pipe is simply a metaphor. Any group of people facing another day just like yesterday can choose to follow this path, regardless of the style or color of shoes they wear. True opportunity is "one size fits all."

Implement successful self-managed teams in your organization. Teach team leaders and team members how to resolve conflict, assess their performance, hold meetings, build trust, solve problems, and get results.

"The most complete treatment I've seen on the subject....If you're making the move to self-directed work teams, this is the book to read!"--Chuck Day, editor-in-chief, Industry WeekEmpowered Teams provides the frank answers to questions about how teams work, what makes them effective, when they are useful, how to get them going, and how to maintain their vigor and productivity over the long haul. Draws on a survey of over five hundred organizations and an in-depth study of twenty-eight companies (conducted jointly by Industry Week and the Association for Quality and Participation).

A new edition of the book that lead the self-directed work teams revolution. Leading Self-Directed Work Teams is one of the best-selling books on teams ever published. Now, the perfect guide for any team leader has been revised and expanded to reflect the new realities of team-based organizations. By explaining how team leaders differ from conventional supervisors, this informative volume which is based on the author's successful seminars and workshops is especially useful for those managers who move from hierarchical to participatory structures. This edition feature more practical examples and techniques than in the previous edition, new research, dozens of tips and checklists, case studies, and valuable training exercises. It has been used and praised by experts at Motorola, M.I.T., AT&T and many other organizations.

Self-directed work teams have revolutionized the global work force by increasing employee productivity and minimizing corporate bureaucracy. In this second edition, the authors bring their research up to date with the latest trends, examples, and case studies, while maintaining the practical format that made their first edition the classic reference in the field. 25 illustrations.