Dream Teams

Starred review from May 15, 2018
Entrepreneur, journalist, and author Snow (Smartcuts, 2014) explains how the composition of teams can make or break ideas, progress, and even the outcomes of battles. Using a combination of historical events (like the Battle of New Orleans, against the British, with General Andrew Jackson at the helm) and psychological research, Snow's narrative and perspective are clear: to become stronger, work must be collective in certain ways. The magic includes a team that incorporates a mix of life experiences (aka cognitive diversity), accepts conflict, has at least one provocateur or troublemaker, and embraces open-mindedness, among other attributes. None of the Dream Team mandates will necessarily come as a surprise. The most successful mergers and acquisitions, for instance, endorse the notion of banning organizational silence. On the other hand, Snow provides a well-written, often-funny, and sometimes-sobering way to ensure that work matters?and gets results. A question-and-answer afterword from the coauthors of Option B (2017), Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant, plus a Dream Teams cheat sheet will further solidify Snow's fan base.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)