I admire you wanting to improve your team and I think you're right to look here, but i don't think documents or white papers will give you more than a start. Read the posts of some of the most respected people and teams in FIRST and you'll learn a lot. Better yet, talk to them at competitions and form your own opinions about what they do that you can emulate.
I don't think we fit yet into the category you describe, at least consistently, but we are always trying to improve. From my perspective, here's what we've done and continue to do:
1. Build and maintain a solid team
- All teams need a solid base of respect for each other.
- Get the support of the school and community behind you.
- Do the extra stuff to build a team, help community, spread the word about FIRST. I can't explain why doing things together other than building a robot is important. I just know it seems to be a common trait of all great teams I know.
2. Improve our designs
- Take the time to do the math and the extra prototyping. It's easy to throw something together, a robust robot requires a good design.
- Listen to all ideas, whether from a student, parent, or visitors. Too often some team members have a hard time accepting ideas. Last year's BOB's reliable gripper was designed by a first year student.
- To that end, getting team members involved in any aspect of construction or design that they can be is critical to a team's success.
3. Have Fun
Teams that I'd consider top notch always seem to have fun together. Whether it's their year to win everything or not, they're almost always in high spirits. Maybe the fun comes because there's less worry about funding, mentors, school support, or whatever. I think a lot of the fun comes from being with people who you've become friends with.