The idea that it’s important to be a team player has been so ingrained in the workforce that many believe playing nice with others is a prerequisite to getting a good job. This isn’t for lack of reason; teams are vitally important, and emotional intelligence is critical in the modern workplace. It’s true that no one person will ever have the time, resources, and expertise to handle everything themselves. However, when managers become too focused on teamwork, groupthink tends to take over. Team members lose the ability to trust their guts, and it becomes incredibly difficult to make any real decisions. Productivity grinds to a halt, and outstanding leaders become held back because they are never encouraged to handle the full responsibility of planning and executing a solution. It might be wise to reconsider what it means to be a team player. It shouldn’t be about the physical time spent with other people, but more about a worker’s dedication to the goal at hand and the confidence to bring others something they’ll be able to use in ways that are greater than what one person would individually be able to provide.