Not a team player?

[vanordinaire]

I've always hated team sports, never been 'one of the boys', hate the idea of riding out in a group, like my own company best, don't like going out on big nights out, and do my job best by myself or with one or two close colleagues who I know I can trust. Again and again at work I'm told we all need to be 'team players' but I just don't see why.
If I do my bit right and everyone else does their bit, can anyone tell me why I need to be 'one of the team'?

[stuartmmcfc]

Nothing to be ashamed off but maybe just on "the spectrum"?

[vanordinaire]

stuartmmcfc said:

Nothing to be ashamed off but maybe just on "the spectrum"?

Aren't we all?

[sday12]

You don't. And no one else will want you in their team.

[Urban Sports]

IBTM

[wildcat45]

vanordinaire said:

I've always hated team sports, never been 'one of the boys', hate the idea of riding out in a group, like my own company best, don't like going out on big nights out, and do my job best by myself or with one or two close colleagues who I know I can trust. Again and again at work I'm told we all need to be 'team players' but I just don't see why.
If I do my bit right and everyone else does their bit, can anyone tell me why I need to be 'one of the team'?

I really don't do company team bks. I have been part of and led great teams, but we never thought of ourselves as that, more a group if people all good at what we do and doing it right.

[0000]

vanordinaire said:

If I do my bit right and everyone else does their bit, can anyone tell me why I need to be 'one of the team'?

Maybe your work is different, but I'd imagine in most jobs individuals can destroy each others productivity (IME an office full of women being the classic example but it seems salesmen betting on whether each other will piss themselves in meetings is another) or produce something greater than the sum of all parts if they work well together. Nothing wrong in my opinion with not going down the pub after work with everyone, but there is something to be said for going a little out of your way to make someone else's job significantly easier and communicating what you're doing to others so they can cover anything you're not doing, plan, etc.

That said, on the rare occasions I've heard someone describe someone else as not being a team player it's usually from the mouth of someone whose only input is made in the pub and that's even less use.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

There is no "I" in team. But there is me, ta.

[Butter Face]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

There is no "I" in team. But there is me, ta.

[mike-r]

What's your job?

We are regularly told at our place to be more of a team, but there's only 4 people there each with own workload so it'd be really forcing it and end up being massively inefficient. Don't mind team playing if there is a genuine need for it, which there never is, because other people are useless.

[ferrariF50lover]

vanordinaire said:

I've always hated team sports, never been 'one of the boys', hate the idea of riding out in a group, like my own company best, don't like going out on big nights out, and do my job best by myself or with one or two close colleagues who I know I can trust. Again and again at work I'm told we all need to be 'team players' but I just don't see why.
If I do my bit right and everyone else does their bit, can anyone tell me why I need to be 'one of the team'?

The first question has to be: what about these situations don't you like? I don't like nights out, but that's because I'm not much of a drinker, I don't especially like modern music and I dance like an awful, clumsy white guy (funny old thing).
Equally, if we have team tasks to do, I am choosy about those with whom I'll work, but that's not because I dislike people, it's because I like to work a certain way (I'm just like Mr Wolf from Pulp Fiction. Do what I say, when I say it and we'll be just fine).

So, what it is about teams that you don't like?

Simon.

[stevesingo]

A team of people are a group of people working together towards a common goal.

If you are doing that, you are a team player.

I have found that people who say "you need to be a team player" are the ones who need you to do more that your fair share to dig them out of the st!

[Sid's Dad]

Often when people talk about being a 'team player', what they really mean is being friendly, helpful, pleasant to work with. How do you think you stack up in that context? Do you sit in the corner and keep yourself to yourself or do you muck in and help make the office a nice place to be?

[Impasse]

Interesting that many of the replies are workplace scenario responses.

But no, teams suck as that always means relying on someone else. And that's not even mentioning the enforced and expected bonding which is supposed to take place. Ughh.

[vanordinaire]

I'm not a loner, I get on well with people but only in a small group or on a one to one basis. I feel intimidated in a large group or a 'team', always felt the atmosphere of 'male bonding' in football and rugby was a bit gay. At work I hate the politics of a crowd where everyone struggles to find their place in the pecking order, I'm quite content knowing my own capabilities and don't feel the need to prove anything but at the same time I won't take any bull£$&t and won't join in their games. Some people seem to find this intimidating hence the comments at work about team playing.

[H_Kan]

In my current role, working in audit, there is a real need to be a team player, as there are typically a bunch of us working at client sites and working on the same project. Therefore, I need to co-ordinate and delegate who does what and ensure that any slack/ difficulties are picked up. Sometimes problems crop up and certain tasks take longer then expected, so the rest of the team need to help finish that persons allocation of work.

The teams will also contain junior staff who also need coaching and more support, which is again part of being a team player by helping to facilitate that.

So if we had a new member of staff who wasn't a team player then I think this would hack me off, as it would my managers, because the ability to do this is key and part of what makes my office/ workplace a nice environment in which to work.

However all jobs are different, with many not needing too much interaction, but as shown above, some jobs do have a genuine need for people to be team players.

[lufbramatt]

In my "team", which consists of 4 industrial designers, a technical illustrator, a creative lead and a researcher, we all have independent projects and different jobs with little crossover. All of us prefer working by ourselves in our own way, and can often be found sitting in silence with headphones on. I'm the senior designer so I spend a fair amount of time making sure the younger designers are on the right track. But we all communicate well and help/share when needed, and have got a reputation of being one of the closest nit teams in the company, as we have well organised team meetings with a clear purpose and are all in the right roles to suit our strengths. Being a good "team player" doesn't mean being the person that shouts loudest in an apprentice-style brainstorming session!

[Sid's Dad]

vanordinaire said:

I'm not a loner, I get on well with people but only in a small group or on a one to one basis. I feel intimidated in a large group or a 'team', always felt the atmosphere of 'male bonding' in football and rugby was a bit gay. At work I hate the politics of a crowd where everyone struggles to find their place in the pecking order, I'm quite content knowing my own capabilities and don't feel the need to prove anything but at the same time I won't take any bull£$&t and won't join in their games. Some people seem to find this intimidating hence the comments at work about team playing.

On the basis of your reply, I'd say you're right - you aren't a team player. And although you can knock the edges off it, you probably never will be. So make it work for you: choose a work environment that values quiet industry, with lots of one-to-one interaction, run by thoughtful people not pushy little Hitlers. Sales, Customer Services and teaching are likely to be hateful, but planning, accounting, lots of small, family-owned businesses may be just what you need. Plenty of businesses would rather have a calm, focused, quietly capable presence in their office than some noisy windbag with the attention span of a five year old who's been at the fizzy pop.

There's nowt wrong with being the way you are - provided your "I won't take any bullst" isn't code for "I'm a grumpy, unhelpful misery-guts who is a pain in the arse to have around".

But one last thing: if people - anyone - says they find you or your behaviour "intimidating" then you should seriously look at changing your behaviour. Intimidating is not good.

[northwest monkey]

Sid's Dad said:

vanordinaire said:

I'm not a loner, I get on well with people but only in a small group or on a one to one basis. I feel intimidated in a large group or a 'team', always felt the atmosphere of 'male bonding' in football and rugby was a bit gay. At work I hate the politics of a crowd where everyone struggles to find their place in the pecking order, I'm quite content knowing my own capabilities and don't feel the need to prove anything but at the same time I won't take any bull£$&t and won't join in their games. Some people seem to find this intimidating hence the comments at work about team playing.

On the basis of your reply, I'd say you're right - you aren't a team player. And although you can knock the edges off it, you probably never will be. So make it work for you: choose a work environment that values quiet industry, with lots of one-to-one interaction, run by thoughtful people not pushy little Hitlers. Sales, Customer Services and teaching are likely to be hateful, but planning, accounting, lots of small, family-owned businesses may be just what you need. Plenty of businesses would rather have a calm, focused, quietly capable presence in their office than some noisy windbag with the attention span of a five year old who's been at the fizzy pop.

There's nowt wrong with being the way you are - provided your "I won't take any bullst" isn't code for "I'm a grumpy, unhelpful misery-guts who is a pain in the arse to have around".

And one last thing: if people - anyone - says they find you or your behaviour "intimidating" then you should seriously look at changing your behaviour. Intimidating is not good.

I wouldn't consider myself a "team player" and did very well in a Sales environment. The biggest oxymoron I know is "Sales Team".

[Sid's Dad]

northwest monkey said:

Sid's Dad said:

vanordinaire said:

I'm not a loner, I get on well with people but only in a small group or on a one to one basis. I feel intimidated in a large group or a 'team', always felt the atmosphere of 'male bonding' in football and rugby was a bit gay. At work I hate the politics of a crowd where everyone struggles to find their place in the pecking order, I'm quite content knowing my own capabilities and don't feel the need to prove anything but at the same time I won't take any bull£$&t and won't join in their games. Some people seem to find this intimidating hence the comments at work about team playing.

On the basis of your reply, I'd say you're right - you aren't a team player. And although you can knock the edges off it, you probably never will be. So make it work for you: choose a work environment that values quiet industry, with lots of one-to-one interaction, run by thoughtful people not pushy little Hitlers. Sales, Customer Services and teaching are likely to be hateful, but planning, accounting, lots of small, family-owned businesses may be just what you need. Plenty of businesses would rather have a calm, focused, quietly capable presence in their office than some noisy windbag with the attention span of a five year old who's been at the fizzy pop.

There's nowt wrong with being the way you are - provided your "I won't take any bullst" isn't code for "I'm a grumpy, unhelpful misery-guts who is a pain in the arse to have around".

And one last thing: if people - anyone - says they find you or your behaviour "intimidating" then you should seriously look at changing your behaviour. Intimidating is not good.

I wouldn't consider myself a "team player" and did very well in a Sales environment. The biggest oxymoron I know is "Sales Team".

In terms of doing the job, I'd agree. But wouldn't you agree that the kind of environment the OP describes - and that the OP doesn't like - is often to be found in sales offices?