Challenging new perspective: the traditional model of teams focuses on internal team dynamics as the key to success - and that's not enough in an increasingly complex and changing business arena. Good teams fail because they look inward and not outward. This book introduces a whole new, externally focused team model. "X-teams" adapt to external change, coordinate with other groups, align behind their company's strategy, and distribute work and leadership across multiple individuals. Strong research base: the authors draw on 25 years of research on many different kinds of teams (such as consulting, product development, sales, and oil exploration). Powerful argument: the authors make a powerful argument that traditional team models are falling short in an ever-more competitive world. Companies need new structures and new ways of organizing to succeed in that world. They need a new brand of team - one that knows how to reach out to a wide range of stakeholders, forge extensive ties, use expandable tiers, and be flexible about membership. X-teams excel on all these fronts. Clear benefits: The authors show that X-teams not only adapt in ways traditional teams can't; they also improve their organization's ability to produce and execute creative ideas. Result? Their firms' entrepreneurial and innovative capacity expands. Plentiful examples: using examples from Microsoft, Hewlett- Packard, British Petroleum, Merrill Lynch, and many other companies, the authors show that X-teams are the key to operating successfully in a world where adaptability is paramount. Highly knowledgeable authors: Deborah Ancona is the Seley Distinguished Professor of Management at MIT's Sloan School of Management and faculty director of the MIT Leadership Center. She has been doing work in the area of teams for 25 years, and her research is known and cited widely. Henrik Bresman is assistant professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD.