Individualism is the hidden threat to teamwork. At any time, the pull towards individualism may outweigh the pull towards teamwork and lead to the break-up of the team.

Here are 7 of the most damaging threats to teamwork. Learn what they are and, if you care for your team's survival, act swiftly to slay them.

1. Individualism. Teams survive and thrive on the individual contributions people make, but unless they are properly channelled into the overall needs of the team, individual effort can become individualism.

Individualism means putting one's own needs ahead of those of the team, even by using the team to advance oneself. In this way, the cohesion of the team can be seriously undermined. A good team allows all its members room to breath and space to grow and be themselves.

"Teams should be like wild ducks: individually autonomous, but when something needs done, they fly in formation, giving warm air and uplift to each other."

2. Stars. Stars are those people whose personal contribution in the team is greater than the rest.

Stars exist in all sorts of teams. In teams of dogs pulling sledges across the Arctic, it was found that in the best teams, there was usually one dog that pulled up to 20% more than the rest. The efforts of the star dog encouraged the rest. As long as stars stay team-focused, they can act as role-models to others, until someone else becomes a star in their turn. When stars become self-focused, however, - what some have called the "prima donna syndrome" - they may use the team to promote themselves into higher positions.

Research has shown that when stars receive favours, privileges and rewards not available to the rest of the team, overall team performance declines.

3. Passengers. Passengers are those who use the team for a free ride.

Latané found that when individual contributions cannot be assessed, people believe they can free-ride. He found that for every new member of a tug-of-war team the rest pulled 10% less hard.

Passengers can be carried by the team only for so long: in time the rest of the team will find them out and either throw them overboard or follow their example. In this case, the team will disintegrate.

"One unco-operative employee can sabotage an entire organisation because bad team spirit is more contagious than good team spirit." (Robert Half)

4. Gender. Research into team performance indicates that there may be differences in team effort due to the gender make-up of the teams.

Helmreich and Spence in their 1983 research found that men are motivated in their work by comparing themselves to others whom they may see as the opposition. Women, on the other hand, were found to use the team more to express themselves and to communicate.

Here are some other team differences: · men like clearly defined team roles; women are happier when they are less clearly defined · men find difficulty in asking for help from others in the team; women don't · men feel empowered by rows in the team; women feel diminished · men enjoy pointing out their teammates' mistakes; women don't.

5. Cliques. A clique is a group within a group, usually formed to pursue their own aims which may be at odds with those of the mother group.

The word "clique" is thought to derive from the French word "claque". A claque was a specially-hired group of people who attended openings of plays and operas and, in return for money, clapped (claquer) or jeered according to who was paying them.

In his research into teams in 1986, Duchon found a high prevalence of inner and outer teams, or cliques, in teamwork. The inner circle, who were often female and senior team members, were more trusted by the team leader and so were given more to do with higher rewards as a result. The outer circle were given less to do and received only ordinary benefits.

6. Unresolved Conflict. Conflict between people is inevitable when they work closely together. In strong, well-led teams, conflict can be the basis of win-win solutions which can benefit the team and the individuals in it. When left unresolved, however, conflict can undermine the team's morale.

The following are signs of unresolved and unhealthy conflict: · counter-dependency, in which authority is opposed or resisted · domination or power struggling · pairing-off and clique-forming · blocking, such as timewasting, petty criticisms, pointing out snags, returning to old topics · withdrawing from any team involvement, except the bare minimum.

7. Lack of Team Rewards. It is often thought that the general conditions of the workplace, such as the facilities and amenities that everyone enjoys, are sufficient to act as team rewards. But they are not. People often take these for granted and look for other reasons for putting the team first. If an organisation wants its teams to excel, it must therefore make team rewards as valuable to the individual as individual rewards.

Team rewards can include: · showing interest in what the team does · acknowledging and praising examples of good teamwork · diverting resources to teams not individuals · organising around teams not individuals · giving teams more say · bonuses based on team results · building team spirit so that membership of the team is a reward in itself.

Building great teams isn't so much about finding some magic recipe that will turn an assorted bunch of people into a team. The desire to bond is a natural one in all human beings. No, that's not the issue. The issue is: are you prepared to put teamwork before individual work? If you are, you will quickly slay the 7 dragons of individualism and create teams that are out of this world.

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