Maxwell continues his grand project of systematizing motivational lore in this
fervent workbook. Rehashing the teamwork catechism he explored in The 21
Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, he reminds us of the importance of vision and
values, the dangers of egotism, bad apples and malingerers, and the necessity
of dedication to collective will. Designed to be used, in part, by employees in
a corporate team setting, the workbook features short inspirational or
cautionary tales (a vignette about sherpa Tenzing Norgay teaches us that "the
need for teamwork elevates" at high altitudes, while disgraced Exxon Valdez
captain Joe Hazelwood embodies the proverbial weakest link) followed by vague
writing exercises ("How can you become more proactive in your personal
growth?"), self-evaluative check-lists ("I am willing to give up my personal
rights for the greater good of the team") and "Take Action" assignments
("Confess your error, ask for forgiveness, and make it right.") Maxwell may be
the guru of teamwork, but this primer on group-think-with its tone pitched
somewhere between a revival meeting and a human resources seminar-feels
decidedly less than inspirational. (Feb.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business
Information.
