Behavioral Economics for Leaders

CHAPTER 21The More Collaborative Your Team Members, the More Fish You Will Catch

Capacity for teamwork is one of the most frequent requirements expected from applicants in job ads. This is because in many companies, work is organized in teams. But can you measure cooperation?

The sea is rough, but the helmsman Shinji, a 60‐year‐old Japanese man, heads the boat unerringly for the best fishing grounds. As always, the day's goal is to get as many fish as possible out of Toyama Bay on the west coast of Japan, and then sell them on the local market and to large retail chains. Shinji is working together with eight other men—five on the large fishing boat, who are responsible for the nets and hauling in the fish; and three on land, who repair other nets while the boat is away and take care of contact with the retail chains. One special feature of Shinji's team is that the total fish catch is divided equally among all team members. All are equal partners, even if, as the helmsman Shinji determines the course of the boat alone. Many such teams work in Toyama Bay: several people work together and share the catch on equal terms. Shinji is quite pleased with his colleagues on the team, most of whom he has known for many years. Everybody helps the next guy and is willing to step in when a colleague doesn't feel so great that day. Shinji knows that this is not the case on all teams. On other boats, arguments involving whether each team member has done his fair share in getting the overall ...