Many corporations, in their attempt to create innovative products and services, have focused on the concept of building teams. While many groups fizzle, on rare occasions the members of a group will experience an extraordinary eruption of excitement, transcending an organization's rigid confines to achieve astonishing results. These individuals are lucky enough to be members of a "hot group," a phenomenon lucidly and enthusiastically described in this groundbreaking book.
Drawing on decades of research and experience with groups and organizations throughout the world, Lipman-Blumen and Leavitt have written an intensely engaging book about a phenomenon that will become increasingly important in our rapidly changing world. Expertly carving a path through this unmapped terrain, they lucidly demonstrate how managers and executives can ignite hot group sparks in their own organizations. The inspiring case studies found throughout Hot Groups illustrate that well-nourished hot groups can profoundly transform any type of organization.
While I cant say this book is an "easy read", for anyone one has worked in or had the opportunity to lead a "hot group" there is just so much here that will resonate.
Very interesting to consider the kinds of behaviours, focus and effort that leaders of organisations have to demonstrate if they want to develop and sustain the capacity of "hot groups" to excel in delivery or facilitate organisational change.
I suspect this is a resource I will return to when looking for inspiration in situations when incredible demands are facing organisations and we need people to lead and deliver amazing results.
This was required reading for my leadership in the 21st generation- my professor wrote the book, but I really enjoyed learning about this type of organizational culture that is especially prevalent in the tech industry.