“There’s no I in team” is one of those phrases that gets trotted out whenever someone needs to be reminded that it’s not all about them. It’s catchy. It sounds wise. It gets printed on posters, stitched into corporate training slides, and dropped into motivational speeches.
I cringe every time I hear it ..... it seems to gloss over the vital reality of how great teams actually work.
But, in fairness, it’s not wrong - at least not entirely.
On the surface, it’s a call for humility, a reminder that working together means leaving your ego at the door. That’s fair enough. Teams are about more than personal glory. In fact, sometimes the best thing you can do for a team is take out the person who insists on being the centre of attention. We’ve all seen teams that perform better once the self-appointed star is off the field (Ted Lasso S1 is a great example of how the team starts to click once the ‘star’ ego steps aside).
So yes, “There’s no I in team” has its place if it reminds us that the team’s goals come first, and that commitment beats showmanship. So I'll give it that; there is a kernel of truth in the cliché.
But that’s most definitely not the whole story.
Teams are made up of real people, and while people can be alike in many ways, my observation is that we are all unique - we are all individuals. I have also experienced, and observed, that good teams don’t function by erasing individuality - they thrive on it.
Each person brings different strengths, skills, quirks, perspectives, and experiences. The goal isn’t uniformity (that ultimately didn't go too well for the Borg); but rather unity through difference. That’s why high-performing teams aren’t made up of interchangeable parts; they’re made up of people who know themselves and each other (their strengths and challenges), trust each other, and align their capabilities to a shared purpose.
Our challenge is to bring out each individual's individuality while enabling the team to embrace the range of individuality, and while integrating it into the team's mission and goals. The whole truly is much greater than the sum of the parts.
If everyone thinks the same way, spots the same problems, and avoids the same uncomfortable questions, don’t expect much innovation. In fact, research consistently shows that diversity of thought, background, perspective, style are key ingredients in effective teams. Here are just 4 (of many) well known researchers in the field of team performance:
In each of these, the importance of the individuality is recognised. It’s not about removing the ‘I’ — it’s about encouraging it to show up in full.
And here's a list of at least 5 'I's that any good team will have:
Teams are made of people - of individuals - each playing an important role. While it’s not about ego — it’s also not about erasing identity.
And so, our task as leaders is to assemble and enable a team of strong, self-aware individuals who care about the outcome, and who choose to work together, who know when to lead, when to speak up, when to support, how to collaborate, and apply their unique capabilities. That’s where the magic happens .....
..... And there is an 'I' in magic
Ad Futurum
Graham