Steve writes: > More than anything, I > find that a "healthy" team can help a new member find resonance with the > teams values and habits (work ethic, quality work product, open > communication, etc.) while an "unhealthy" one can undermine an > individual's natural instincts or choices.
I argue that "team values" tend to be an unhealthy concept. The team has a goal, and that goal needs to be recognized and pursued -- a contract or a milestone, etc. Work toward the goal, don't take undue advantage or put special burden of particular people to get it done. Putting aside fairness and responsibility issues, other values or affinities (race, gender, recreational preferences) are things that just distinctions that will create in-group and out-groups, and that (in my opinion) does more harm that good. Doing this will increase diversity of the team, whereas playing the blacker/whiter/americaner than thou card does the opposite. What you do is what should matter, not who you are. Marcus ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
