Acknowledgements

After The Workshop Book, I knew I wanted to write a book on collaboration, and I have been collecting case studies and research on the topic for years. It took me a while (and excellent advice from Eloise Cook, my editor) to establish that the book I wanted to write was about incredible teamwork, the kind that incorporates collaboration, creativity, purpose, energy and momentum. This led to Supercharged Teams.

Many busy, talented and clever people have chosen to give me their time, ideas and support in writing this book. These are people who have their own projects to complete, teams to run, businesses to lead, families to support and books to write. This book was completed during the global COVID-19 pandemic, which makes the support I received even more incredible, as they all gave me their time while navigating a crisis. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity of spirit and their commitment to collaborating with me.

Thank you especially to Malcolm D’Sa, who, when I was ready to give up on writing a second book, kept urging me on; Beth Ann Kaminkow, for her kind support and positive influence; Grainne Wafer who exemplifies the authentic and purpose-driven leader I would like to be; Gael De Talhouet who provoked and challenged my ideas; and Laura Diamond whose analysis and expertise refined my thinking. I was honoured to be mentored by the brilliant Michael Schrage, whose incisive challenges and fast feedback sharpened and strengthened my work. His advice to put more of myself into the book made it so much more enjoyable to write and, I hope, to read.

I would like to thank the people who made this book possible by giving me the space and time to write: Alison Darling, who runs our business and our teams so brilliantly; Anna Johnson, who inspires and creates incredible content; Anne Nørholm Iverson, with her design eye and systems thinking; Dee O’Brien who protected and organised my time; and Nicola Waterman, my clever and talented writing partner who has helped me to turn a pile of Post-its, flipcharts, research and dictations into a fully written book. Thank you to the Paraffin team, the brain of brains who helped me to create the title of the book and gave me case studies, ideas, examples and inspiration whenever I got stuck.

Thank you to the people who went above and beyond to help me with ideas, interviews and advice, including Sofia Mavros, Emma Wingate, Sue Phillips, Andrea Wareham, Ben Page, Monica Juanas, Jennifer Whyte, Steve Pitt, Marcus Cator, Irene Grindell, Rachel Green, Neil Mullarkey, Clare Thompson, Amber D’Albert, Brooke Hoskins, Stefan Homeister, Henry Mason, Carl Hartman and Claire Emes.

And thank you to everyone who contributed so kindly, including Wendy Aitken, Penny Bennett, Adrian Bleasdale, Markay Bressler, Graham Charles, Pele Cortizo-Burgess, Richard Evans, Brady Grange, Rhia Harry, Caroline Haworth, Craige Heaney, ‘Julia Hobsbawm, Katie Hyams, Billie Ing, Shalaka Karandikar, Briana Larkin, Michelle Lavipour, Coral McConnon, Claudia Nielsen, Catherine Mangan, Henry Mason, John Monks, Rob Myles, Greg Orme, Sarah Peachey, Bruce Robertson, Ian Roe, Syl Saller, Patrizia Sorgiovanni, Guy Stevens, Marie Stopforth, Ian Thwaites, Richard Watkins, Rachel Webley, Ben White and Louise Wilders.

Thank you to The HIVE Portsmouth, Portsmouth City Council and Portsmouth Guildhall, who have welcomed me into the community and have taught me so much.

And finally a deep thank you to Paul Bennett, my husband, for being my hero, navigator and advisor; Min Wright, for her kindness and constant support; Tamlyn Norcott and Katherine Richards for their endless belief in me; Ian Wright who taught me never to accept what I could change for the better; and my daughter Bailey for her energy and spirit, and whose generation will work together in better ways than we can ever imagine today.