teamwork makes the dreamwork
"I like to work as part of a team BUT I am also good at working as an individual"
You have all heard it before, it's the classic hedge. It works because working alone or with a group has advantages and drawbacks and I always think the best answer is 'it depends on the circumstances'.
Consider these circumstances below:
✈️ United Airlines flight 173 left JFK for Portland with 183 passengers on 28th December 1978. Captain "Buddy" McBroom piloted the flight and was a 27 year veteran with a distinctive and commanding leadership style. On the approach into Portland, the landing gear light failed to appear to inform the Captain of an issue. They circled for 70 minutes in a holding pattern to diagnose the problem and prepare for a rough landing. All the while, they failed to take notice of the fuel gauge dropping. The plane crash landed into a wooded area 7 nautical miles from the airport tragically killing 8 passengers and 2 crew with a further 24 seriously injured.
In stark contrast, US Airways flight 1549 left LaGuardia for Seattle with 150 passengers on 15th January 2009. Captain Chelsey "Sully' Sullenberger (immortalised by Tom Hanks!), had barely taken flight when a flock of Canadian Geese hit the engine causing the plane into an emergency pattern. Sully worked closely with air traffic control and co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles to try and work out a plan before deciding the best course of action was to ditch in the Hudson. The actions they took meant they lost no lives with only 5 passengers injured.
Analysing both events in the context of teamwork shows that the top-down command and control environment of Flight 173 didn't allow for different opinions and ideas to flourish. It was reliant on McBroom and his experience and expertise. Compare that with Sully and his crew who operated as a team in order to bring the plane down safely.
On the back of flight 173, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) got involved in introducing Crew Resource Management (CRM) which helped shape how cockpits work today with greater sharing of information, better dialogue and most importantly less accidents.
Working in a team when sharing a common goal is much more rewarding and can offer better outcomes given the circumstances. I urge you to assess your situations and goals you are trying to achieve and consider how you can further incorporate better teamwork into your decision making.
