"Give individuals choice of what teams to join. If members are recruited, not assigned, the people who end up in a team will tend to be those attracted to its specific purpose. Bureaucracies in which managers allocate staff find it very difficult to create the flexibility to accommodate much self-selection, especially after downsizing. People end up being assigned based on availability, skill, and project priority. Giving much priority to personal desire and enthusiasm is, in a bureaucracy, the exception rather than the rule." (p. 204)
"By now, people who work as a team over the Internet have discovered that as long as they know and trust each other, the team functions well in its virtual forays. But when new team members join, the group loses its effectiveness. The team returns to progress only after the new members have bonded with the old ones in old-fashioned ways—by squeezing each other's hand, drinking beer together, exchanging personal stories, or giving one another a slap on the back." (p. 211)
"The best way to develop a team-based way of working is to just find out what the employees do best and make sure they're aligned with the vision. Are their needs being met and a part of the flow? Are the employees valued?" (p. 230)