We’ve all heard the statement a thousand times: There’s no “I” in “team”.
Companies have made millions printing teamwork clichés on coffee mugs. Sometimes it feels like there’s an unspoken rule that everything must be a team effort. Teamwork is better than individual work. If a person says “I did” or “I said”, they’re immediately labeled as being self-absorbed and not a team player.
Let me toss out there that it should be okay to be an individual contributor. Everything is not done by teams.
We should be able to think in terms of both individuals and teams. If we lead a team, we need to engage with team members individually as well as collectively. We need to find out what makes them tick as a person so they can become a productive member of the team.
As managers, our role is not to treat everyone on the team exactly the same. It’s to treat everyone fairly.
Let’s use the example of rewards. You and I work at the same company. I’m motivated by money – I want a bigger paycheck to buy clothes, shoes and designer handbags. (Let’s hope Mr. Bartender isn’t reading this!) And, you are motivated by time off – to take skiing vacations, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, whatever. If our boss gives us the exact same reward…one of us will be unhappy. It’s not our boss’ responsibility to give us both the same thing but to give us both the same amount of the things that are important to us.
Another example, this time using recognition. We’re still working for the same company. You like being recognized at staff meetings – think it’s cool when the boss says what a good job you did on XYZ project in front of the team. I like being recognized behind the scenes maybe with a note card or an email. If the boss sends you a card mentioning your great job, will you feel the same? Nope, probably not. And, if the boss stands me up in the next staff meeting, will I feel happy or embarrassed?
It’s important for managers to engage people on a personal level. And, it’s okay for us as employees to take individual pride and ownership. If we don’t let people connect as themselves, then we can’t expect them to connect as a team.
There is an “I” in every team…in fact, we should view each team as a collection of “I’s”.
Image courtesy of flasporty
0
Kelly O says
I heard someone say that although there is no “I” in team, there is “me” and I agree with the sentiment.
I want my team to do well, but as far as what motivates us and how we approach our work, we couldn’t be more different. What works for me does not work for the others, and vice versa, and when there is not one brush tarring the entire group, things tend to go more smoothly.
david k waltz says
Sharlyn,
Being a finance guy rather than a graphics guy, I cannot pull off this idea, but it would be neat to see the word “team” spelled out with a lot of microscopic i’s.
Katherine Razzi says
Hi Sharlyn,
I wrote to a colleague of mine this morning expressing my sentiment about teamwork vs. work done independently. After helping direct me with a project, I extended my thanks to her in an email which I sent to our boss along with the proof. Being modest, she felt it wasn’t necessary for me to include my gratitude in my email. Besides her deserving recognition, I told her that I want the boss to see how well she and I can work as a team and don’t need to be micro managed individually with our work when both of us can help each other on large projects quite well. She heartily agreed. I hope my subliminal message was forwarded as well.
I also agree with what you wrote about engaging team members individually, and to further your point, I believe team members should be individually accountable for what they do on a team. Each member should be accountable for their actions/mistakes and by the same token, should also be recognized for their individual achievements within the team. Now, the “I” is defined as ownership rather than “I” for ‘island’ by standing alone. “Team” is the collective brain work with support by all members. (as we know)
At the risk of sounding a little cutthroat, there have been times when I feel that my work was the most vital role on a team. While others tried to offer their assistance, the project could only be produced by one person on the computer in the end. The person (myself in this case) ended up as the single performer while the rest of the team cheered on or drifted apart because there was nothing more they could contribute as an individual. The accolades given by our superiors were only to the team, not singly.
When it’s time for performance reviews, one has to remember his or her own individual contributions to teams. As in the instance I cited above, if I am asked what I feel was one of my major accomplishments for the year, I will recount my individual contributions on teams.
Chris Young says
Sharlyn!
Fantastic piece! I could not agree more… A powerful team is a group of individuals who are accountable for results.
We are about to enter into a new era where low performance will be tolerated much less than before and they will not be able to hide behind the team. The group hug era is about to be over.
Keep rocking’!
Farzy says
I agree with not to be a team player but that doesn’t mean that you will close your mind and believe only in what you can do. We can share individually but we could at least try to understand the others contribution too to understand the whole system.
Sharlyn Lauby says
@Kelly – Love the “me” comment! Thanks for sharing.
@David – I can see it in my mind…but forgive me for not trying to pull it off. Ha.Ha. Thanks for the comment.
@Katherine – I know it can be frustrating to feel like other team members are not pulling their weight. I’ve been there myself. What’s funny about those situations is somewhere in time, people realize who really kept the project on track, who did the majority of the work. It doesn’t always happen right away…but it happens. Thanks for commenting.
@Chris – Thanks for the comment. I like your “group hug era” remark.
@Farzy – Excellent point. You have to know when you need others. Thanks for commenting.
J-- says
Good article. But I suggest part of the problem is the use of the word “team” to mean “staff. ”
“Team” comes with baggage – “team” implies “best of the best” and (sports) team members are subject to extremely high expectations, else their position is lost to a player on the bench. A workplace cannot afford (in time and money) to employ “best of the best” and has no reserve players. A workplace only requires workers that can meet a position’s objectives and qualifications. “Team” implies a group that includes individuals with very specialized talents, very well defined positions within the group with very little leeway to extend out of that position. A workplace employee has a less well-defined role and the workplace may require that employee to stretch his role out to cover other duties or tasks when required.
“Staff” places no such extreme restrictions on the employee (or how his role is viewed by others). “Staff” neither implies a less cohesive group than a team, nor a group that works less effectively together. “Staff” is therefore a more accurate word.
But then, I’m not a big fan of sports terminologies in the workplace. In my opinion, sports terminologies alienate employees that are not sports fans (like me). Words such as “staff” do not alienate in this way, since they are work terminologies to begin with.