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Build High-Performing Teams for Extraordinary Business Results
Imagine a workplace where team members not only excel individually but thrive collectively—where collaboration is an expectation deeply ingrained in a culture that drives success. That’s the goal of transformational people leader and team-building expert Ed Cohen and his expert contributors—Rahul Andrews, Nandini Darsi, Emily King Grandinetta, Sheina Laws, Priscilla Nelson, and Anil Santhapuri.
Transforming Teams is a method and mindset that puts trust, collaboration, and cultural intelligence at the heart of team success. Cohen and his colleagues have spent the last 25 years developing this six-phase approach for building relationship-centered organizations. This framework has been tested and proven to work in more than 150 global organizations—from startups to Fortune 500 companies like Booz Allen Hamilton, Western Union, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Organization leaders, TD and HR professionals, and coaches who want to foster business cultures in which people feel connected to their work and one another will find this book invaluable. You’ll learn to break through conflicts, reduce turnover, increase engagement, and overcome dysfunction by aligning team behaviors with shared values and strategic goals. Use the real-world case studies and practical tools to transform your teams and drive success no matter your organization’s size or industry.
“Transforming Teams not only recognizes the criticality of teamwork but identifies six verbs that define the process of high performance, which are brought to life with tools, examples, checklists, and actions to make teamwork happen. This book is relevant, helpful, and actionable.”
—Dave Ulrich, Rensis Likert Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan
“As someone who has spent a career championing conversations that matter, I see this book as a must-have for leaders and talent professionals who are serious about creating engaged, future-ready organizations. Ed Cohen doesn’t dwell in the abstract; he has implemented these ideas and helped countless others do the same.”
—Beverly Kaye, Co-Author, Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go, and Up Is Not the Only Way
“Transforming Teams is a powerful playbook on authentically and sustainably evolving how your employees can work together, grow dynamically, and achieve measurable success for the organization. It’s an ideal resource for any learning, talent development, human resource, and business leader.”
—Elliott Masie, Chair, Masie Learning Foundation
“Ed Cohen and his contributors have spent decades in the trenches with teams on every continent, and it shows. This is the rare book that actually helps L&D professionals and people leaders turn messy, real-world team dynamics into a culture of trust, accountability, and high performance you can start building today.”
—Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, Chief Thought Leader, TEDx speaker, Researcher, and Author
“Teams are the atomic unit of value in today’s successful organizations. This important book speaks to this fact and provides a practical framework to help build team-centric cultures of continuous improvement. It should be on every business leader, CHRO, and talent development professional’s reading list.”
—Charles Jenings, Director, Duntroon Consultants
“Transforming Teams offers a practical framework that connects relationship-centered culture to business performance, with concrete guidance that makes results measurable and actionable. Leaders who are serious about creating value through high-performing teams should read this book.”
—Patti P. Phillips, PhD, CEO, ROI Institute; Author, ATD's Handbook for Measuring and Evaluating Training
“Transforming Teams is a masterclass in how to build a successful workplace. Drawing on decades of experience, Ed Cohen blends clear strategy, practical tools, and human-centered insights for leaders to build effective teams in any industry across any geography. This book is both a tactical playbook and a thoughtful guide for building high-performing teams. It’s essential reading for anyone serious about turning potential into performance.”
—Tamar Elkeles, PhD, Former Chief Learning Officer, Qualcomm
“Having experienced the Transforming Teams process within three organizations, I can say firsthand that it delivers real transformation—stronger cultures, better leaders, and improved business outcomes. As organizations navigate unprecedented change, this book provides a timely and practical road map for meaningful, human-centered transformation.”
—Joshua Craver, CEO and Founder, Craver Consulting
“I’ve seen this framework transform teams under Ed Cohen’s leadership at a large global consultancy and a growing start-up; it works across radically different organizations. Transforming Teams provides the road map, stories, and practical how-tos our field needs.”
—Kathy Vizachero, Global Head of Organizational Development, AAK
“If you’ve ever wondered what truly drives outstanding teamwork, Transforming Teams has the answer. Ed Cohen offers a practical, data-driven approach that actively engages team members in shaping their own success. I’ve worked with Ed and his team in three different organizations, and each time they exemplified growth mindset, relational competence, seamless collaboration, and outstanding results. If you’re serious about developing high-performing teams equipped to excel in today’s complex and uncertain environments, this book is your road map!”
—Cheri Torres, PhD, Author, Conversations Worth Having; Founding Executive, CWH Institute
“In today’s fast-changing business world, the success of an organization hinges on strong, cohesive, and adaptable teams. Transforming Teams is an excellent guide for leaders and professionals looking to unlock the full potential of their people.”
—Aimee George Leary, Chief People Officer and HR Executive
“Transforming Teams delivers a powerful framework for building high-performing, relationship-centered teams in today’s fast-changing organizations. Ed Cohen elevates culture and behavior as critical business drivers, offering leaders a clear, scalable path to sustained performance. Highly recommended for executives and leaders who are committed to measurable results without compromising on trust, belonging, or humanity.”
— Sirisha Kommireddi, Vice President, GCC Practice, Covasant
“The best teams aren’t defined by strategy alone, but by trust, purpose, and how people show up for one another. Transforming Teams is a practical, hopeful guide for leaders who want to build cultures where people—and performance—can truly thrive.”
— John O’Leary, Bestselling Author, In Awe, On Fire, and Overwhelming Odds; Inspiration for the film Soul on Fire.
Ed Cohen is an award-winning leader in corporate learning and development with over 45 years of experience working across more than 70 countries. He has held leadership roles at major organizations, including Booz Allen Hamilton, SprintRay, and Tech Mahindra, where his innovative talent strategies earned widespread recognition. Cohen has a passion for developing world-class learning and leadership development programs and transformative initiatives in leadership, business agility, and digital reskilling. His expertise and contributions have made him a sought-after speaker.
Cohen is the author of Leadership Without Borders: Successful Strategies From World-Class Leaders and Riding the Tiger: Leading Through Learning in Turbulent Times, co-authored with Priscilla Nelson. He is the co-founder of Nelson Cohen Global Consulting, which focuses on teambuilding, leadership development, and executive coaching for CLOs.
Cohen serves on the board of HR Today and the Harvard Business Review Advisory Board. He earned ATD’s Best Awards for both Booz Allen Hamilton and Tech Mahindra, and in 2025, he and his company received two distinguished talent development industry awards: ATD’s Best Award and ATD’s Excellence in Practice Award.
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. The Road to Team Excellence
Chapter 2. Assess: Understand the Present and Shape the Future
Chapter 3. Discover: Define Your Desired Culture
Chapter 4. Articulate: Create the Right Conditions for Transforming Teams
Chapter 5. Activate: Live Your Team Culture and Celebrate Success
Chapter 6. Integrate: Embed Team Culture and Behaviors
Chapter 7. Transform: Measure and Reinforce Team Excellence
Chapter 8. Iterate for Lasting Impact
Acknowledgments
Appendix: Valuable Behaviors for Transforming Teams
References
About the Contributors
Index
About the Author
About ATD