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The notion of "teamwork" has captured a lot of attention. I suspect you've heard your boss say, "We
want you to be team players." Many companies have invested heavily in training programs designed to enhance teamwork.
Some people, however, find it difficult to subordinate their inner drive to that of their team members. Like it or not, they end up being labeled as "not team players" and may have hurt their career potential because of their behavior.
Consider the following situation, perhaps a bit simplified.
Joan was team leader of a task force to improve her company's index of customer satisfaction. The team consisted of reps from six departments that had customer contact or supported those who did. At one meeting the conversation went something like this:
Joan: I hope you've reviewed the consultant's report since our last meeting. It seems we have our work cut out for us. Our performance is worse than I thought. I'm not sure management knows how bad the situation is, since they haven't seen the report
David: Yes, they do. I heard the executive VP talk about an irate customer at the executive committee meeting. He said the sales rep involved was more interested in getting his commission than helping the customer. I think we should take a close look at the sales force.
Joan: We have some bad apples there, but I can't believe the sales force is the culprit.
Mark: David, I think the material you guys put out is a major problem. The installation instructions are horrible. Steps are missing, the graphics are misleading.
David: We develop the instructions from the information we get from engineering. Before anything goes to print, your boss and the VP of engineering review it. We've always wanted to publish more complete instructions, but you seem to give us a budget that's inadequate to do the job.
Joan: The report indicates that customers are particularly dissatisfied with placing orders and getting technical support. However, it's not clear if the problem is with the transaction or with getting through on the phone. Mary, how are we doing in...