Are You a Builder or a Climber? 17 Chapter 1 Are e Y ou a Builder or a Climber? T he fact that you're holding this book right now tells me you want to make a difference in the world, your industry, or maybe just where you work. It could be you're a leader want- ing to elevate your teams to a whole new level. Perhaps you're an experienced manager or team leader and you'd like your teams to be more effective and vibrant. Maybe you've just been promoted and you want to get a jump on things so you can hit the ground running. Or maybe you're a front-line employee who wants to develop your capacity for teambuilding. Whatever your role, if you want to make a difference, you probably realize the value of having teams that are passionate. We love seeing teams flow with energy and enthusiasm, get- ting past obstacles, and achieving their goals with unshakable confidence. Unfortunately, we also know that the chances of teams be- coming that way on their own are pretty slim. The conditions for it have to be right. Although a "teaming" revival has been zinging around the globe for several decades now, the concept of teams has been 17