“Teamwork is the glue that bonds losers together.”
So reads the inscription on a gift made by the founder and CEO of a major publishing house to one of his employees.
In in a world of gridlock, gridlock, and more gridlock, it can be tempting to want to find wisdom in those words… it can also be enlightening.
The Fallacy of Teamwork is a great site devoted to the myth that people work better when working together… the truth is, human nature—with all its virtues and also all its shortcomings—is still alive within the context of a team. Teamwork can be great, as this site acknowledges: “teamwork, in theory, is a wonderful concept.” But it can also be a disaster: “As practiced by many organizations, what passes for teamwork is extremely flawed, poorly executed and actually detrimental to success.”
Amen.
2 Comments on “Fallacy of Teamwork”
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Posted on 15. October 2008 at 06:02
What a great posting. I fall into the trap thinking that teamwork is always the answer. Actually, many times it is an excuse to spread the work or share what should be the individual’s responsbility.
Posted on 15. October 2008 at 13:45
Ron,
I appreciate your comment and interest. I’d love to know if you have any other thoughts, ideas — maybe even see holes in the argument.
Thanks again (and thanks, Jason).
WW