Talent alone doesn’t guarantee success. Without alignment, accountability, and a shared purpose, even the most skilled teams can fall short of their potential. Many organizations struggle with this challenge, where individual excellence doesn’t always translate into collective achievement. High-performing teams, whether in business, sports, or mission-driven organizations, thrive because they have a clear framework that fosters trust, resilience, and accountability.
This interactive program, led by UCLA’s Professor Iris Firstenberg, explores the key elements of building and sustaining extraordinary teams. Participants will examine what it takes to create a strong team identity, reinforce accountability, and establish a culture where individuals feel empowered to learn from mistakes and grow. Through practical discussions and real-world applications, attendees will gain strategies to strengthen collaboration, celebrate achievements that drive long-term success, and ensure their teams are not just talented, but truly high-performing.
Dr. Iris Firstenberg is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology, UCLA and Adjunct Professor of Management at UCLA Anderson. She specializes in strategies for creative problem solving and innovative thinking. She also conducts programs on creativity and innovation for a wide cross-section of Fortune 500 organizations, including companies in aerospace, software, automotive, healthcare, entertainment, defense, telecommunications, energy, financial services, retail, and pharmaceuticals, as well as government agencies such as NASA.
Her latest book, Extraordinary Outcomes: Shaping an Otherwise Unpredictable Future (John Wiley & Sons, 2014), provides a practical framework to help organizations navigate in a world of uncertainty. Dr. Firstenberg is the recipient of the 2002 UCLA Department of Psychology Faculty Distinguished Teaching Award and the 2011 UCLA Extension Distinguished Teaching Award.
Defining Purpose and Building Extraordinary Teams
Fostering Collaboration and Accountability
Embracing Challenges and Strengthening Team Resilience