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The myths and realities of teamwork

Anonymous Author
University of the People
Organizational Theory and Behavior -BUS 5113
Instructor: James Fullen, DBA
Due Date: 22.12.2021
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Introduction:

In this paper, I will discuss the difference between myth and reality by debunking six myths
about collaboration and clarifying each one. In addition, I will study and discuss one)myth to see
why people believe it. Finally, I discuss the difference between fact and myth in the workplace.

Brief explanations for each myth:

Myth can be defined as a religious account of the beginning of the world, the creation,
fundamental events, and the exemplary deeds of the gods as a result of which the world, nature,
and culture were created together with all parts thereof and given their order, which still exists,
according to Merriam's Webster (2018). With that stated, we are aware that there are numerous
myths that we are exposed to at work, but in this piece,(the myths and the realities with David
Wright) I will use my reading to select six myths and explain my thoughts on them.

Each myth is explained in detail:

1. Teams are harmonious groups of people who put their own needs aside for the good of the
group. This can be explained by the fact that team members are willing to go to any length to
ensure the team's success. Furthermore, it implies that members consider the team's
accomplishments rather than their own.

2. Team conflict is unhealthy, which implies that at the workplace, conflict is seen as a negative
thing for the team's productivity, since when conflict arises among team members,
communication suffers, and openness suffers. Furthermore, team members may be unwilling to
communicate their criticisms and feedback with the rest of the group, which is not good for the
team's effectiveness.

3. Most people enjoy teamwork, which may be explained by the fact that some people prefer to
work in groups because their flaws are hidden, implying that at the end of the day, someone else
will cover them or, in other words, another team member will correct their errors due to the
team's spirit.

4. Teamwork is critical for team success, which means that everyone on the team must focus on
the team's spirit, which is to give their all to help the team achieve the goals set forth, even if it
means taking on additional responsibilities to help the team progress. Furthermore, it implies that
in a team setting, people are more likely to express some interests or efforts as a result of the fact
that everyone is observing and paying attention to each other's contributions, which is not the
case when people work alone.

5. Teams are easy to influence and manage, which means that a team leader can easily direct
team members to do things his or her way by constantly reminding them that members must
sacrifice themselves for the team's spirit, which means that people will not complain as much
because they are all in the same boat and can win or lose together.
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6. Senior managers encourage teamwork, which means that those who have been with the
company for a long time and have seen how well things have gone with teamwork in the
workplace may want to stick with that strategy. Furthermore, one of the reasons that top
managers do this is so that they may retain some influence in the organization, because it is how
they learnt and how they have been doing things.

Choose one of the myths to study further:

The myth I've chosen is "Team work is essential for a team's success." This is a fascinating topic
because team success is critical to a company's long-term success. This myth is based on the fact
that everything is based on teamwork, so everyone should prioritize teamwork over their own
personal agenda.

What is the difference between myth and reality?

McDowell (1998) claims that "Myths are narratives that are "counter-factual in that they feature
persons and activities that defy the patterns of everyday experience," and based on those
definitions, I would argue that reality is not a story but rather based on facts and current events.
Furthermore, Hansen (2002) claims that "There was a sacred aspect in every myth. They were
often secular stories, not necessarily tied to religious ideas "And, in terms of truth, it has nothing
to do with secular stories, nor is it based on stories; rather, it is based on everyday reality.

Conclusions:

Avery (2001) claims that "Don't allow these typical teamwork fallacies keep your business back.
Disprove them and get your squad back on track.

It's time to disprove them and get your team back on track ".. With that said, I feel that, despite
the fact that we are constantly bombarded with these falsehoods in our daily lives, the reality of
today's workplace is more than evident.
There are many factors we can use to explain the differences between myth and reality in our
work area, such as globalization with open markets and multicultural effects: I mean the fact that
something that is considered a myth in one culture or environment is not necessarily the same in
another. Technologies have changed the ways people do things, because people are learning
more about myths and the truth or falsehood about them; or at least changing some of them.

Finally, while myths have ruled our cooperation in the past due to ignorance or a lack of respect
for the company's culture, the reality is today seen as the most accurate and reliable for our
teamwork. Almost everyone nowadays is preoccupied with the present rather than the history.
"The most popular myth is that there is no "T" in team; nonetheless, there is a "me," according to
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Wright (2013). Even in a strong team environment, it is impossible for the reader to overlook an
individual's requirements.

References

Avery,C. (2001). Teamwork is an individual skill.Retrieved from

http://www.readhowyouwant.comn

Abeles, N. (2017). Older adults health and age-related change. Retrieved from
https://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/myth-reality.pdf

Hansen, W. F. (2002). Ariadne's Thread: A Guide to lnternational Tales Found in Classical

Literature. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

McDowell, J. (1998). "Perspectives" on "What is Myth". Folklore Forum, 29(2), 75-89.

Wright, D. (2013). The Myths and Realities of Teamwork. Retrieved from

http://bookboon.com/en/the-myths-and-realities-of-teamwork-ebook