Michael West is Professor of Organizational Psychology at Lancaster University Management School, UK. Previously Executive Dean of Aston Business School, he has authored, edited or co-edited seventeen books. He has also published over 200 articles for scientific and practitioner publications, and numerous chapters in scholarly books. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), the American Psychological Association (APA), the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP), the British Academy of Management (BAM) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

"The book provides an in-depth examination of the range of
positive and negative factors which can affect team
functioning. The ethics and values in team performance are
considered and form a fundamental part within each section."
(The British Psychological Society, 1 September
2012)





Imagine seven billion individuals on earth ... most of whom
at some time experience life as members of teams, especially at
work but elsewhere as well ... and imagine the incalculable
combinations of people and situations that make for teams. Where
can we possibly look for advice on how to get so many different
teams to be effective?

Look first to Michael West's new book. It maintains a
laser focus on what it really means for a team to be effective. It
embraces the complexity of things that matter - leadership,
goals, support, technology to name just a few - and it
consistently delivers evidence-based advice on the surest ways of
making teamwork effective.

--Rick Guzzo, Principal and Worldwide
Partner, Mercer Human Resources Consulting

Yet again, in the 4th edition of this deservedly
popular pocket book, Michael West has produced a masterly digest of
knowledge from a sprawling literature on this vitally important
topic. Insights, examples and learning points emerge from first
page to last, including, new to this edition, the very latest
research on virtual and top management teams. It is unusual for
books to successfully bridge the academic and practical divide, but
this one has equal appeal for scholars wanting the lowdown on the
state of the field, and for practicing managers trying to figure
out what goes right and what goes wrong with teams in their
organisations. You will not find a finer, more concise,
authoritative and clearer assembly of available knowledge on teams
anywhere.

--Nigel Nicholson, Professor of
Organisational Behavior, London Business School, UK; author of
Managing the Human Animal and Family Wars

This new edition of Michael West's book helps us
understand what a team is and what we can do to improve teams'
functioning. The book covers the most important factors impacting
on teams' operation and outcomes. It is based on solid
scientific knowledge and the author's extensive applied
experience in the field. It provides readers with useful tools that
can be implemented to help managers lead and develop their teams.
Based on my own experience as director of a university service, I
can tell that these tools, and the knowledge on which they are
based, really work.

--Vicente González-Romá, Director of the
Observatory of Job Insertion and Occupational Guidance, University
of Valencia, Spain; Editor of the European Journal of Work &
Organizational Psychology

Once again Michael has brought together the great management and
leadership concepts of this decade to provide a practical, well
evidenced contribution to leading successful organisations. With a
clear and insightful understanding of organisation realities,
Michael's understanding of team work, staff engagement and heath
and well being are combined to provide an extremely helpful
practitioner and leadership guide supported by all the research,
evidence and exercise material we've come to expect. In a world
where the focus of personal and organisational psychology is often
remedial, this books engages us in using positive psychology to
enhance the quality of life for staff through the achievement of
shared goals.

--Dean Royles, Director, NHS Employers,
UK