The Teamwork Myth: Why We Celebrate the Wrong Heroes

We’ve been told our whole lives that teamwork matters. Schools preach it, workplaces encourage it, and motivational posters won’t let us forget it.

But do we actually celebrate teamwork?

I don't think so! 

What we really celebrate is individual achievement. We love watching the movies of the one person who overcame all odds to succeed. We hang jerseys in the rafters—not for teams, but for individual players. We watch the Oscars and cheer for the Best Actor, not the best ensemble.

And when it comes to work? We get promoted individually. We get paid individually. We are held accountable individually. So, it’s no surprise that most people default to operating alone rather than in true collaboration.

Yet, if you really stop and think about it, nothing of true significance was ever achieved by a single person.

Bill Gates had Paul Allen.

Mark Zuckerberg had Eduardo Saverin.

Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.

The myth of the solo genius is just that—a myth.

MIT Dean Lester C. Thurow put it best:

"There is nothing antithetical in American history, culture, or traditions to teamwork. Teams were important in America’s history…wagon trains conquered the West, men working together on an assembly line conquered the world, successful national strategy and a lot of teamwork put an American on the moon…but American mythology extols only the individual…In America, halls of fame exist for almost every conceivable activity, but nowhere do Americans raise monuments in praise of teamwork."

We act like teamwork is an option, something we do when there’s time. But name one world-changing idea, company, or movement that didn’t require people to work together.

The Horsepower of Teams

Still skeptical? Let’s talk about horses.

A single horse pulling a weighted sled can pull about 4,000 pounds. You’d think that if you tied two horses together, they’d pull 8,000 pounds, right? Wrong.

Together, they can pull 12,000 pounds—a 30% increase beyond their individual capacity. Now imagine what a 30% increase would look like in your workplace. More productivity. More innovation. More efficiency. And the only thing stopping you from unlocking that potential? How you see teamwork.

Test Yourself: Are You Really a Team Player?

So, how do you see teamwork?  Let's take a short little quiz to find out:

1. When facing a tough challenge at work, what’s your first instinct?

a) Figure out how to solve it on my own.

b) Ask for input but still take on most of the work myself.

c) Discuss it with my team to find the best collective solution.

2. How often do you delegate tasks to others?

a) Rarely—I feel more comfortable doing things myself.

b) Sometimes—but only if I’m overwhelmed.

c) Regularly—I trust my team and value their contributions.

3. If you’re out of the office for a day, how do you feel about your work?

a) Anxious—things won’t get done right if I’m not there.

b) Slightly concerned but hopeful my team can manage.

c) Confident—my team is capable and knows what to do.

4. How do you respond when a team member offers to help with something you’re responsible for?

a) I usually decline—it’s easier if I just do it myself.

b) I accept sometimes but feel guilty about it.

c) I welcome their help and see it as an opportunity for collaboration.

If your answers lean toward A or B, you’re operating solo—and you’re leaving a lot of potential on the table.

Stop Thinking Like the Lone Ranger

The lone wolf mentality gives us an out—we assume that if we just work harder, we’ll achieve greatness. But that’s not how the best teams or leaders operate.

If your success is dependent on how good YOU are, you’ll always hit a ceiling. If your success is dependent on how good you make OTHERS, there is no ceiling. High-performing teams don’t just work together—they fundamentally change how work gets done.  They stop working as individuals and start working as a collective.  And the best leaders? They recognize this and do all in their power to support teams: change recognition, incentivize collaboration,  restructure projects, invest in teambuilding, remove separation barriers, provide time for trust building, and change the way they think. 

So don’t just talk about teamwork. Redefine it. Build an ecosystem of collaboration where success isn’t about one person—but about how far you can go together.