The Truth About Managing People, Third Edition

Truth 44. Not Everyone Is Team Material

Many people are not inherently team players. They are loners or people who want to be recognized for their individual achievements. There are also a great many organizations that have historically nurtured individual accomplishments. They have created competitive work environments where only the strong survive. If these organizations adopt teams, what can they do about the “I have to look out for me” employees that they created? And finally, countries differ in terms of their “groupiness.” What if an organization wants to introduce teams into a work population that is made up largely of individuals born and raised in a highly individualistic society?

The previous points are meant to dramatize that one substantial ...