Collecting information from sources including periodicals, regulations, and California school district documents, this guide offers a variety of suggestions for establishing strong management teams. After a brief account of the evolution of the management team in California, an essay underscoring the importance of commitment for effective management teams and regulations defining and regulating the management team are reprinted. Some recommendations made for leadership teams and reapplied to the management teams which replace them precede outlines of management team organization in eight districts. The next section incorporates articles proposing methods of enhancing trust, confidence, working relationships, and two-way communication. The characteristics of the effective group are defined and management meeting guidelines provided. Several districts and organizations offer aids for improving decision-making skills. Self-assessment techniques, sample evaluation policies for members of management teams, and materials on inservice management development are offered. A clarification of the distinction between the management team and the local management association precedes a discussion of school management teams. Management team compensation policies are reviewed. A description of available Association of California School Administrators services includes a short bibliography. Alternative district personnel policies for management teams are presented and some districts with separate policies for confidential employees listed. (MJL)