Brand U teaming is taking over business. In more organizations, empowerment and teaming are evolving into workplace religions. You can’t escape empowerment, which may involve self-managed teams, work accountability, or group problem solving. Often, your ability to work as part of a group is a condition of employment. But, teaming can have a dark side.
There are lots of good things about teams. Self-management. Self-motivation. Freedom. Control. Pride of work. Professionalism. But, there’s also a down side. Pressure to perform. Pressure to conform. Accountability. Peer group appraisal.
And, teaming is not for everyone. If you want to work in lots of places these days, your team is your boss. Team members will interview, hire, review, correct, and train you. Peer group support, approval, and pressure can be immense. You don’t want to let your friends and team members down.
Brand U teaming also doesn’t come easily to managers who were trained and rewarded for command and control. Many of today’s managers are people who paid their dues on the factory or administrative floor. These people worked hard and were promoted into management by following accepted rules. These managers tended to guard their authority and resist change.