Teams on the Uniqueness Pole
Teams which shape their behaviour patterns in such a way that primarily the uniqueness needs of the employees is satisfied, often look like this to the observer:
• The prominence and profiling of individual group members is order of the day. The associated competence is used by others rather like an incentive, similar to sport.
• What goes alongside this is that abilities and competences are demonstrated. You alternatively spur each other on.
• Everybody strives for a high level of performance and continuously wishes to improve.
• Underperformance of individual group members is usually viewed critically and exploited for one’s own purpose (possibly instead of compensating or reflecting).
The usually hidden fear of failure threatens to dominate the inner life of the team members. When questioned, this is often denied (believing this may, possibly, be an error on the side of the consultant). Directly learning from each other is limited. Employees, who are belonging-orientated, quickly leave again.
For the organisation, the advantages are obvious. It can be detrimental when it does not know that such a team culture requires constant replenishment with new team members (‘fresh blood’). The inevitable burnout of the members must be accepted. One also needs a solution for the less glamorous routine tasks in the organisation as well as in the team.