Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley Mcchrystal Summary and Analysis

Big, lumbering organizations often dream of possessing the qualities inherent to small outfits. So what will happen if you can combine the cohesion, agility, and adaptability of a small team with the capabilities of a big organization? It is an enticing possibility that will revolutionize many fields of human endeavor. This book provides an extraordinary example and exposition of such an accomplishment. It details with compelling examples why resilience and adaptability, not efficiency, are today's key success factors in overcoming challenges in various human concerns. Using as prime example his experiences in battling Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), General McChrystal, with the help of his co-authors, has constructed a new, powerful, and convincing model of organizational effectiveness. Initially, the McChrystal-led US military, the mightiest war machine in the planet were unsuccessful in containing a ragtag Al-Qaeda terrorist network. The American armed force was by all measures superior in every aspect including training. AQI, on the other hand, was vastly outgunned and outmanned, but they were very adaptable. The dreadful result: America was being beaten and humiliated. Its time-tested battle tactics were being blown to smithereens.The Task Force headed by McChrystal was able to turn the tables on AQI through a most surprising strategy that evolved as they constantly improvised. They eventually adopted the most effective tactics of small teams and discarded their century-old principles of warfare. The huge lumbering US military with the most modern weapons in the world became the team of teams that relied on small group resiliency and cohesion to defeat the enemy.The unique challenges of today emanate from the increasing complexity that is transforming the environment wherein we operate. This book gives us reasons for optimism through its team of teams strategy. The scheme is proving highly effective in dealing with manifold situations be it in the military, NASA, or hospitals. It offers a very effective way of dealing with complex, problematic situations that defy solutions in whatever field we are in. DISCLAIMER: This is an unofficial summary & analysis of the book Team of Teams and NOT the original book.