Leonardo. Mozart. Hemingway. Jobs. The myth of an individual genius is pervasive; for centuries, it has dominated our collective ways of thinking about discovery, creativity and success. But for companies, it gets in the way of understanding what is required to create sustainable long-term value. In truth, the rock star talent is a convenient fantasy; it gives short-term fuel to the perception of a company’s immediate future but cloaks the value of the more fundamental engine of growth—the team.
No doubt, individual talents and specialized skills are central to value creation in the knowledge economy. But healthy cultures sublimate the needs of the individual into those of the team. Teams learn faster than individuals and make better decisions. Untrammeled, the individual ego is an impediment to joint agency and stands in the way of shared achievement.