Richard C. Holloway wrote:
>
> (snip)
>
> "Lundin said much of today's negative emotions are being created
> because of teams--the very thing that is supposed to bring a more positive
> atmosphere to the workplace.
> "'I don't see teams as working very well, because we grow up
> learning to be competitive--and then we get a job and we're supposed to be
> cooperative with one another,' Lundin said. 'And I think that team output
> is often dumber than what the individual output could be. By working
> together, they actually come up with a less intelligent answer. That would
> make anyone emotional.'"
>
> I thought that this column would hearten all those who think that
> "teaming" was just a bad idea. I was curious what the subscribers to this
> list might think.
Well Doc,
Like playing the piano, you can either do it because you have put in the
time or you can't. There is a huge problem with short-term study and
quick solutions in our education system. These are the people who think
that music is for fun and don't understand what it means to practice
everyday in band, chorus and orchestra for years to develop a championship
team. The same is true of sports, debate, legal teams, team teaching,
teams in the ER in hospital, etc. For me the issue here is skill, both
individual and as a working group.
If people are extremely right handed they are going to have trouble
coordinating both hands to play the piano. But if the competition world
wide is two handed you had better learn. If the older folks learn they
will keep their brains alive and if youngsters are taught while still in
school the problem will disappear in the work place.
As for Lundin, I'm reminded of one of the elder voice teachers in the New
York Singing Teacher's Association who was asked a question like the above
about why people couldn't sing and didn't want to. She said: "Because no
one knows how to teach them. If you have teachers who know their business
then the students will learn and change will happen. Teach them to sing!"
When a company hires you and you are being paid then you have to be
willing to do whatever is necessary or you shouldn't have taken the job.
Regards
Ray Evans Harrell, artistic director
The Magic Circle Chamber Opera of New York
mcore@idt.net
--Ray Evans Harrell <mcore@IDT.NET>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>