In his book One Mission: How Leaders Build a Team of Teams, C.W. Goodyear makes the argument that the traditional idea of a team being a cohesive unit working together in harmony is no longer the most effective way for a leader to build an organization. Instead, Goodyear proposes that a leader should create a structure that embraces “team of teams” principles to achieve their goals.
Goodyear begins by examining what he calls the “team trap” – when teams become stagnant and rely too heavily on the same set of ideas and processes. To prevent this trap leaders must embrace what Goodyear calls “distributed work:” organizational structures built around teams that are connected through a shared mission and purpose but still allowed to work independently. In this system, leaders act less like a coach and more like a conductor, pulling the strings to create a cohesive performance.
Next, Goodyear looks at the power of diversity and how it can be harnessed to build a more effective team of teams. Goodyear argues that diversity can be seen as an asset, providing a richer and wider pool of perspectives that can help push an organization forward. He outlines five steps that leaders can take to ensure their teams of teams will be managing diversity successfully: creating a safe environment, adopting radical candor, seeking trust, celebrating difference, and encouraging experimentation.
To further explain how a leader can create a successful team of teams, Goodyear then introduces the idea of “team agility”. Agile teams are comprised of members who possess different skill sets which can be deployed in a flexible and adaptive way. This allows teams to rapidly respond to changes in an unpredictable environment. Goodyear also outlines the three key principles that leaders should focus on when fostering team agility: staying connected, facilitating collaboration, and making space for team exploration.
The final section of One Mission looks at how the principles of team of teams can be applied in practice. Leaders must be aware of the unique challenges associated with replicating a successful team of teams culture. Goodyear suggests balancing the need for autonomy, collaboration, and adaptability. Leaders must also ensure that team roles are made clear and teams are empowered to communicate with each other and share their experiences across the organization. Additionally, Goodyear outlines effective strategies for assessing the overall performance of a team of teams, and sound guidance on developing the right balance of autonomy and coordination.
C.W. Goodyear’s One Mission: How Leaders Build a Team of Teams is an invaluable addition to the literature on team building. Goodyear provides insightful guidance on how leaders can foster team of teams success, from recognizing the power of diversity to developing strategies for effective assessment and management. His ideas on radical candor and team agility give a modern and practical twist to the traditional notion of a team, making One Mission an essential resource for anyone interested in building and leading teams of teams.
