Teamwork
I’ve always prided myself on being a team player, embracing the idea of teamwork as an essential ingredient for success. But lately, I’ve started to notice the cracks in this seemingly perfect ideology. Teamwork, I’ve come to realise, can sometimes be a convenient disguise for sheep mentality, groupthink, and the pursuit of inclusion without merit.
A recent experience brought this into sharp focus. My pastry chef—someone I deeply respect for their expertise and precision—was faced with a dilemma. The sales and marketing team had strong opinions about the design of a showpiece cake we were preparing. Their suggestions were well-meaning but lacked the technical knowledge that comes with professional training. Still, they were united in their stance, confident their ideas would achieve the desired effect.
Initially, my instinct was to back the chef entirely. They knew better. But then I considered the bigger picture: the delicate ecosystem of harmony within the group. So, I persuaded the chef to take their opinions seriously, to accept the group’s suggestion—not necessarily because it was the best course of action, but because it was the one that fostered unity.
The irony was not lost on me. Here was someone who had honed their craft through years of experience, now yielding to those whose expertise lay elsewhere. Yet, I couldn’t ignore a simple truth: in a collective setting, going against the group carries its own risks. If the chef stood firm and was proven wrong, the fallout would be harsh—mockery, blame, and damage to their credibility. On the other hand, if they were proven right, they’d only stoke envy and resentment from those they disregarded.
By involving the group, the burden of the outcome was shared. If the decision turned out to be wrong, at least we could say we made it together. And if it turned out to be right? Well, it was a shared success—a victory no one could claim as theirs alone.
Such is human nature. We crave credit but fear criticism. We value expertise but often defer to the majority. This isn’t to say I regret the decision we made. I’ve come to accept that teamwork, for all its flaws, isn’t about always making the right choice. Sometimes, it’s about making the choice that keeps us standing together, for better or worse.
A recent experience brought this into sharp focus. My pastry chef—someone I deeply respect for their expertise and precision—was faced with a dilemma. The sales and marketing team had strong opinions about the design of a showpiece cake we were preparing. Their suggestions were well-meaning but lacked the technical knowledge that comes with professional training. Still, they were united in their stance, confident their ideas would achieve the desired effect.
Initially, my instinct was to back the chef entirely. They knew better. But then I considered the bigger picture: the delicate ecosystem of harmony within the group. So, I persuaded the chef to take their opinions seriously, to accept the group’s suggestion—not necessarily because it was the best course of action, but because it was the one that fostered unity.
The irony was not lost on me. Here was someone who had honed their craft through years of experience, now yielding to those whose expertise lay elsewhere. Yet, I couldn’t ignore a simple truth: in a collective setting, going against the group carries its own risks. If the chef stood firm and was proven wrong, the fallout would be harsh—mockery, blame, and damage to their credibility. On the other hand, if they were proven right, they’d only stoke envy and resentment from those they disregarded.
By involving the group, the burden of the outcome was shared. If the decision turned out to be wrong, at least we could say we made it together. And if it turned out to be right? Well, it was a shared success—a victory no one could claim as theirs alone.
Such is human nature. We crave credit but fear criticism. We value expertise but often defer to the majority. This isn’t to say I regret the decision we made. I’ve come to accept that teamwork, for all its flaws, isn’t about always making the right choice. Sometimes, it’s about making the choice that keeps us standing together, for better or worse.
Note: This was written with the aid and exaggeration of ChatGPT.
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