The Myths and Realities of Teamwork

BUS 5113 - Organizational Theory and Behavior

University of the People

Teamwork enables employees to become familiar with each other and it is vital for the

success of an organization and for the development of workforce. Through strong team

bonding employees can achieve better results and enhanced productivity. In this paper, I will

examine the six myths surrounding teamwork within an organization as presented by David

Wright in chapter one of the book “The Myths and Reality of Teamwork”.

MYTH # 1: Teams are harmonious people who compromise their needs for the sake of

the team.

Teams are formed by a group of people with different perceptions, values, and interpretation

of things. Each member brings their own set of skills, personality types and needs.

Effectively managing a diverse group of people will make a great team but failure is

inevitable if teams did not harness the diversity of members for success. Wright (2013)

asserts that it is important to understand an individual and how their talents could be

recognized and employed within a team. By identifying each member’s qualities, leaders can

tap into the individual strengths which can be beneficial for a team to succeed.

MYTH # 2: Team conflict is unhealthy

Team conflict is seen to have a negative impact on productivity and unpleasant relationships

among members. According to Brownlee (2019), leaders and teams should embrace and

harness conflicts as most ground breaking innovations are a results of healthy conflicts.

Conflicts should not be seen as an enemy but it signifies that members are ready to accept

differences and work together for better results. Teams work for a common goal and conflicts

will provide an opportunity for members to collaborate and become more productive to

achieve the desired outcomes. When members disagree, it is wise to stop and listen to their

views or ideas as this could channel the discussion in the right direction.

MYTH # 3: Most people like teamwork

Each member of a team has their own personal values, strengths, weaknesses, and abilities.

Some people are competitive in everything they do and they can be detrimental to those
around them. Others like to engage and collaborate so that team spirit is maintained. This will

bring out brilliant ideas which will deliver better results and outstanding performance. The

above highlights that people respond differently to the idea of teamwork. My opinion is that

if the goals are defined and the purpose is clear than people would be more open and

comfortable to work in teams.

MYTH # 4: Teamwork is essential to business success

Teamwork depends on business needs and the purpose of the task. Growing and complex

organizations which are rapidly changing due to economic growth and technological

advancements can immensely benefit from the diversity of talents and skills that teams can

offer. For example, in the Fijian sevens rugby team for Tokyo 2020 Olympic, each player

has a defined role to perform but through a team approach they are tasked to score and win a

match. Each member has a challenging role to fulfil which depends on their talents and

skills. Smaller organizations can benefit from individual contributions as tasks will be

executed by a single person while large and complex organizations need teams to produce

better outputs.

MYTH # 5: Teams are easy to influence and manage

Teams require management skillset and consideration should be given to each team

member’s skills in order to produce the desired outcomes. Leaders need to effectively

communicate relevant information across teams and also engage members in problem

solving. It is necessary for a leader to demonstrate behaviors that inspire people to change

(Starks , 2015). Trust and transparency is vital as it will encourage and empower members to

show their talents and collaboratively generate ground broking ideas. It is the responsibility

of the team leader or manager to clearly define roles for members and ensure that everyone

contributes to the common goals to achieve success.

MYTH # 6: Senior Managers encourage teamwork

Cooperation and transparency is paramount in teamwork and this can be seen as a barrier

when managers have weakness and are not confident to lead. Failure to lose control will

make leaders threaten their members for trivial matters and this could be detrimental for the

team and organization. A senior manager needs to show confidence in the team in order for

the team to achieve the desired goals. Acknowledgment and rewards of a job well done is

necessary and managers need to develop leaders in their pool of talent. Leading by example

will embrace a culture of togetherness as a more flexible approach with open communication

will encourage members to learn and support one another.

Research Analysis on MYTH # 4: Teamwork is essential to business success

It is said that without teamwork, teams will not function and succeed. In today’s business

environment, teamwork is important as a diverse group of people bring unique perspective

and ideas that enables businesses to progress in this competitive world. Support within teams

will minimize employee weakness and enhance an individual’s knowledge and skills.

Working in a positive team environment boosts employee morale, provides job satisfaction

and create a sense of belongingness to something greater than oneself (Calin, 2018).

Differences between Myth and Reality

Myths are considered to be an individual perception against reality therefore people easily

believe in myths and get influenced. As a customer we do see the process involved in the

making of products we use but these products are a result of efficient teamwork. People are

so obsessed about product brands such as “Nike” but they fail to realize the ideas behind such

innovation. When people get engaged in workplace teamwork, then they understand the

reality of teams and the importance role in plays in shaping an organization.

Conclusion

Open and clear communication on common goals creates unity within teams and emphasizes

on “we” rather than “I” culture in a team. Trust inspires people to speak up and express their

views and ideas. With positive engagement, teams can overcome challenges and turn
conflicts into ground breaking ideas which can produce better resolutions and project

decisions.

References

Brownlee, D. (2019). Avoiding Team Conflict Can Be A Grave Mistake: Four Strategies For

Healthy Team Conflict. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danabrownlee/2019/05/21/avoiding-team-conflict-can-

be-a-grave-mistake-four-strategies-for-healthy-team-conflict/

Calin, A. (2018). Why Teamwork Matters to Your Business Success. Retrieved October 12,

2021, from https://www.hubgets.com/blog/teamwork-matters-business-success/

Starks , F. (2015). Leaders Influence Team Performance and Goal Achievement. Retrieved

October 12, 2021, from https://aboutleaders.com/leaders-influence-team-

performance-and-goal-achievement/#gs.cyhva5

Wright, D. (2013). The Myths and Realities of Teamwork. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from

http://www.consultwright.com/Chapter_1-Myths_and_Realities_of_Teamwork.pdf