The Collective Edge : How to Build and Lead Successful Groups

A Financial Times Business Book of the Month

‘Eye-opening. Essential reading for creators, builders, and leaders’ DANIEL H. PINK, author of Drive

‘A deep dive into the dynamics of successful teams' ADAM GRANT, author of Think Again

‘A phenomenal, science-backed guide to how groups really work – and how to make yours thrive’ KATY MILKMAN, author of How to Change

* Nearly every successful venture has a great group at its core. Individual talent is not enough – to achieve extraordinary results, we need to make our groups better.

In THE COLLECTIVE EDGE, Dr Colin Fisher, a foremost expert on team performance, distils decades of research into practical strategies to help groups function at their highest levels. Drawing on case studies from billion-dollar companies, elite sports teams and record-breaking artists, he reveals how to:

Design teams with the right structure and goals
Harness the motivating elements of competition
Manage conflict while encouraging productive disagreement
Create the conditions for cooperation, creativity and synergy
Build a culture of shared leadership and learning
The highest-performing teams are more than the sum of their parts. Whether you’re a leader, a team member, or simply curious about group dynamics, The Collective Edge provides vital wisdom that will help your groups unlock their true potential.

MEDIA REVIEWS

‘Fisher explores different types of groups, whether sports teams or scientists, showing that identifying a clear purpose and defined outcomes is key . . . he makes the case for the importance of competition within a collective environment, and warns against the dark heart that can lie within unquestioning conformity. The book is rounded out with a section on leadership and how to put collective perspective into action . . . Fisher’s irreverent writing approach and pop culture references make the topic palatable, and enjoyable’ - Financial Times, Business Books of the Month

‘The book is an essential guide for anyone who’s tried and failed to work out why some groups capture elusive energy, and some are so dysfunctional . . . Fisher is an engaging writer . . . if you’re thinking of moving into a leadership role, or wondering how you’re going to get your family to knuckle down to chores – or indeed you have your eye on being in the next series of Traitors – then this could well be your go-to’ - Mail on Sunday

‘If you’ve ever wondered why some groups spark brilliance while others remain stuck in mediocrity, this book has your answer. Fisher has distilled decades of research into a practical, eye-opening guide to making teams more than the sum of their individual parts. The Collective Edge is essential reading for creators, builders and leaders’ - Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive and The Power of Regret

‘Captivating, evidence-based, and packed with insights to help you boost the performance of every group and team you value, The Collective Edge is a must-read. Collaboration has never mattered more, and Fisher offers a phenomenal, science-backed guide to how groups really work – and how to make yours thrive’ - Katy Milkman, author of How to Change and host of the podcast Choiceology

‘A thought-provoking read about how a group becomes more than the sum of its parts. Colin Fisher has done a deep dive into the dynamics of successful teams, and in this book he shares his most illuminating and useful discoveries’ - Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Hidden Potential, and host of the podcast Re:Thinking

‘A winner. Every important finding from a century of research on groups can be found in its thoroughly enjoyable pages. The Collective Edge is a must-read for anyone who wants to unravel the mysteries of human groups’ - Amy C. Edmondson, Professor of Leadership, Harvard Business School, and author of The Fearless Organization and Right Kind of Wrong

‘Brilliant, grounded, and full of aha moments, The Collective Edge is the new standard for understanding group behaviour. This is a vibrant, research-rich dive into what makes teams flourish. A must-read for team leaders and collaborators alike’ - Annie Duke, author of Thinking in Bets and Quit