Christopher Avery blogs about Leadership Skills: The Leadership Gift Decision Test

In my post How to Build Effective, Successful Management Teams a few weeks ago I mentioned that project teams are the most straight-forward teams in which to develop high-performance dynamics because they fit the classic laboratory definition of a team. Today, I want to talk more about why motivation is more important than technical skills in predicting team effectiveness. My...

In one of my recent blog posts, Teamwork Basics: Creating Positive Interdependence in Groups, I offered three strategies you can use to get people feeling and acting like they are in the same boat together: Start shining the spotlight on the whole, not the pieces Solicit help shining the light Know the standard you are striving to achieve Building on...

"Outcome interdependence" (i.e., linked fates or the feeling of being in the same boat together) -- not interpersonal attraction or the quality and quantity of communication -- is the number-one predictor of group cohesion and thus high-performance teamwork. In general, managers and leaders foster way too many feelings of negative interdependence in their organizations. That is an unintended consequence of...

Rally Software CEO Tim Miller Endorses Christopher Avery’s Knowledge Team Leadership Workshop

Whether your leadership intent is your own success, or leading a team, task force, or entire enterprise, mastering responsibility will accelerate your progress. "Mastery" means having mastered your own internal Responsibility Process™ and applying the 3 Keys to Responsibility™ in daily life for even greater freedom, choice, and power. Here are three reasons why mastering responsibility is a must for effective...

This is the second part of my 2-part series about how clear and elevating goals help with teamwork. By "clear" I mean no measurements are needed to know that the goal is reached, and by "elevating" I mean the goal is bold and inspiring. Last week's post (Part 1) covered the first three points that are essential in this process,...

Are you unhappy or frustrated at work? Have you thought this about your team: "I can't be responsible for the quality of my team's efforts." "Getting on a good team is mostly a matter of luck." "If I'm part of a poorly functioning team, and I'm not in charge, there is little I can do but bear it." These kinds...

International business adviser and author Christopher Avery, Ph.D. (http://www.ChristopherAvery.com) has agreed to speak at a special meeting of the Leon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Avery’s keynote titled “The Leadership Gift” will be featured at the December 16, 2009 meeting at Texian’s Cocina & Cantina, 6430 Bandera RD, San Antonio, TX.

A well-edited 30-minute video of me answering questions about the Responsibility Process, agile software development, leadership, and teamwork was just posted on InfoQ. The interview was conducted in September 2009 at the Agile2009 conference in Chicago. Thanks to InfoQ and editor Amr Elssamadisy for this.