THERE IS NO “I” IN TEAM

In theory, we are all a part of some team.  Family.  Friends.  Colleagues.  A group of people linked in a common purpose.   Teams normally have members with complementary skills that generate synergy through a coordinated effort.  Allowing each member to maximize his or her strengths and minimize his or her weaknesses.

What happens when our priorities outweigh those of our teammates?

There is no doubt that we are all individuals; a person of moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, and social outlook.  Our individuality promotes the exercise of one's goals and desires, independence and self-reliance.  It opposes most external interferences upon one's own interests, whether by society, family or any other group or institution.  

Sometimes as a member of our team we begin to act independent.  No longer synergistic, no longer coordinated, no longer compromising or cooperative.  We lose our balance and walk unsteady.  We bicker.  We fight.  We lose self control and sense of respect.  We stop communicating and inevitably become the ball-hog.  Taking every opportunity to grab the ball and run.  Immobilizing the team and causing chaos in the game plan.

Recently, a friend of mine has fallen victim to a ball-hogger; a teammate with unbalanced priorities, selfish in nature, uncooperative attitude, uncompromising demeanor, untamed temper, ungrateful spirit and disrespectful to the other teammates.  Although my friend has tried to keep her peace, she’s almost at the point of believing the ball-hogger will never come around.

Staying together or moving on?

However independent, self sufficient, and priority driven we are, when we are part of a team; individuality and independence take a seat, so that we can play with coordination and compromise.  

No matter what game we are playing, we can’t do it alone.  We have the option to stay with our team or move on; but eventually, we have to get off of the bench and pick a side! 

Rob
email: rob@kranksystems.com
twitter: kranksystemsjc