The demand for leadership competency models has grown in recent years, but it has done so much faster than the underlying expertise. The value of such models comes from the behaviors that make up the competencies and the processes used for identifying them. Here are some keys to creating an effective competency model.

This guide explains how managers can pay attention to four important dimensions common to effective teams: team member effort, team member knowledge and skills, team tactics, and group dynamics.

Between the time a team is launched and the time the team gets results, leaders need to know whether the team is on course. To do this they need to monitor the effectiveness of the team on an ongoing basis and make course corrections that prevent small problems from becoming major disasters. Assessing a team's performance, zeroing in on areas of weakness, and taking the necessary corrective measures help the team deliver peak performance and the expected results.

Outlines four critical points that are key to a successful launch: setting purpose and direction, defining roles and responsibilities, designing procedures and practices, and building cooperation and relationships.

Shows how teams formed with five high-performance principles - setting a clear direction, building organizational support, creating an empowering team design, identifying key relationships, and monitoring external factors - can have a head start on achieving success.

Helps determine if a team is the right tool for meeting a business goal, and explains potential obstacles and challenges to forming a team that can operate at its full potential.