Is it more important to be able to work with a group of people on a team or to work independently?

Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

The author concludes that being on a team is more important and should be preferred to working alone.

The purpose of this statement is to determine the value of team work, which is obviously important to the workplace. However, the author limits these concepts to merely team work; she fails to recognize that individuals must be effective and competent in order to work effectively in groups. For instance, if an employee is not a team player, he or she may not contribute to the success of the team. An individual can be a great team player, but he or she may be just as ineffective as an individual.

The idea that working alone is preferable to work in a group is an idea whose time has come and gone. The workforce has changed dramatically over the last few decades. At one time, companies were small and each employee was indispensable to the success of the business. A worker had to be assigned a task, and that task would have to be completed. It was once possible for someone to perform many tasks, and this efficiency led to higher production and profit. However, as businesses grew, they required more employees, and it became apparent that maintaining such a workforce would become cost prohibitive. In order to make the individual tasks more efficient, the companies began to group their employees into teams. Tasks would be assigned and performed by separate teams, and individuals were assigned to specific teams. Some employees did not enjoy the idea of working in such teams, but before long, they realized that they made the tasks easier. They were no longer responsible for the completion of every task, but they could focus on their specialties. In addition, they were more motivated to perform their work when they realized that their colleagues were relying on them to achieve the goals of the project.

The idea that being on a team is preferable to working alone is flawed. Every worker has certain strengths and weaknesses, and he or she should play to those strengths. A worker who is great with numbers, for example, should not be assigned to a team where painters are performing the task. Similarly, an individual who works well in a cooperative environment should not be assigned to a group of individuals who work better when they work independently. If an individual does not play well with others, he or she will end up feeling frustrated and ineffective. It is far better for the individual to work on a team where his or her skills will be utilized.

There are many advantages to working on a team, but there are also disadvantages. Team members must communicate well with one another. They must be willing to work together, even when it is inconvenient, to achieve the company’s goals. A team that is not cohesive or efficient will fail. In addition, the members of a team must share the goals of the company. If an employee does not share these goals, he or she will be unable to achieve them. Furthermore, the team members must respect one another. A selfish employee will undermine the efforts of the rest of the group.

If an individual desires to work effectively in a group, he or she must avoid being selfish. This means being willing to work with others for the good of the group. An individual must learn to work with others, and he or she must respect the opinions and achievements of his or her colleagues. If an individual is unwilling to make sacrifices to accomplish this goal, then he or she will not be able to achieve it.

If an individual desires to work effectively in a group, he or she must avoid being selfish. This means being willing to work with others for the good of the group. An individual must learn to work with others, and he or she must respect the opinions and achievements of his or her colleagues. If an individual is unwilling to make sacrifices to accomplish this goal, then he or she will not be able to achieve it.

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