I and We

Most often you would have come across articles or people saying that good team players always believe in saying “We” rather than “I” , together we can achieve more etc etc. The fact is it is true but most often interpreted in a wrong way. A bunch of mediocre people would pull down a talented guy just thinking that we should perform and grow as a team not someone growing faster. They would brand him selfish, mean , arrogant etc.

In some cases he could be all those – I am not talking about that lot – the ones I am going to discuss are the good intelligent ones who suffer because they happen to be among a lot of average people who have twisted team spirit to such an extent that running faster that the rest looks like a crime.

How often have you been stopped by your team from completing a task early because rest will have to work equally fast, how often have you been criticized by your team members for coming on a Holiday because they all had decided not to come. You would have been made to feel guilty for not complying to the team decision and those who succumbed to team's whims and fancies were liked while those who did not were made fun of or plain ostracized.

To all these people all I have to say is hold on – to your convictions ,to your self belief, to your intelligence – it's just a matter of time that these mediocres will wane away. You deserve to win and get respect and recognition for being who you are.

Team work does not mean you wait till everyone else reaches the same level and then pull the rest and move together. Then we get into a situation where the bad ones are having a good time and the good ones are being punished because they are good. Just because you are good does not mean that you will work more than the average guy and still get paid the same. The system should be designed such that the good ones get more than the average ones and if still the average ones are a drag then they should be left – that way we always ensure that system is fair.

Let me give an example of team work – hope this gives a clear idea on I and We and we learn to appreciate both.

Just have a look at a pack of lions when they go for hunting – everyone works as a team because they know individually they cannot accomplish anything,that is the We part. But that does not mean someone just rests and gets free food or runs slow because anyways the food will be distributed equally- no. Every single lion knows his/her responsibility and works aggressively to achieve it – everyone performs their part with the zeal ,as if he/she is the only one hunting. The I of every individual is at it's peak then and all get their share based on their strengths. That is true team work where everyone contributes to the best of his/her ability and together achieve more.

From a company perspective :

The company wants to grow and be big but what the company actually comprises of is individuals – you. The best we can ensure that our company grows is by focusing on our own growth, lets be 100% selfish. When the I's start improving their competencies, everything else falls in place. When every individual develops enough self respect not to do sub standard work and as a step to achieve that starts focusing on his/her competency development then organization as a whole improves. It's so easy right ?