The notion of “the team” is a bit of a myth as people are different, members from different disciplines in cross-functional teams approach challenges differently and we often compete and jockey for positions.
There’s a powerful story in the narrative of Western civilization around the team. It comes up in the context of the military, especially special operations, in the startup community, especially in the early phases of a company, in sports as well as in the leadership literature. The idea is that a group of people can be merged into what’s almost an organism where everyone is aligned around the same goal, committed to putting all their energy towards that goal and operating in perfect harmony, without dissent and complaint. Team members act fluidly without having been asked as they know what needs to happen and altruistically sacrifice their own needs and wants for the greater good of the team.
As you read the above, I think everyone understands that the notion of a team is an illusion or, at best, an unattainable platonic ideal. As human beings, we all have our personal goals and ambitions. Of course, part of those ambitions is to feel part of a community and be recognized as a valuable member of that community, but few people will sacrifice everything to achieve that. We all have our own lives to live and need to (or should) spend time on our self-actualization.
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