The Collective Edge: How to Build and Lead Successful Groups - Softcover

Fisher, Colin M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1398533475 ISBN 13: 9781398533479

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, 2026

Synopsis

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

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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.

About this title

About the Author

Colin M. Fisher is an Associate Professor of Organisations and Innovation and PhD Programme Director at University College London's School of Management. A former professional jazz trumpet player with the Grammy-nominated Either/Orchestra, Colin drew inspiration from musical improvisation to understand creativity, teamwork and innovation within groups. Across dozens of academic journal articles, his research has uncovered how groups navigate complex decisions, collaborate effectively and produce creative breakthroughs. As a sought-after keynote speaker for businesses and governments around the world, Colin shares clear insights drawn from his blend of rigorous social science and deep personal experience in improvisational teamwork. 

Colin earned his PhD in Organisational Behaviour from Harvard University. Originally from Redmond, Washington in the US, he now lives in Northeast London with his wife and two children. He can sometimes be found performing at jazz jams throughout London.
 

Edition details

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1398533475
• ISBN 13: 9781398533479
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336