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 Apple co-founder Steve Jobs never felt the need to suppress his creative

individualism.

Tony Avelar/Bloomberg News

Career Intelligence

 Why we need contrarians in the workplaceBARBARA MOSES | Columnist profile | E-mailFrom Saturday's Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 6:14PM EST

Last updated Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 6:38PM EST

There’s no question that Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple Inc., and Christopher Hitchens, the late

author and pundit, each left indelible marks. But for all their accomplishments it is unlikely either would have

ever received a report card that read, “Plays well with others” or “Is a great team player.”

Maybe there is something to be learned from these true contrarians. Although in most organizations, you can’t

do better than be labelled a team player, and although most workers promote their group-work skills, I’m

tired of people who robotically boast about what great team players they are.

In fact, being a good team player may not be such a good thing. And maybe you can be too agreeable.

 Week after week, clients confide to me that they routinely shut up about work decisions they don’t agree with,

or are doing things that run counter to what they believe is right. When asked why they don’t speak up, they 

say they don’t want to be branded with the dreaded label: “Not a good team player.”

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people who know when to defer to collective desires and when not to conform – people who are prepared to

cause a little trouble, and to offend a few now and then.

The end result may be what’s really best for the team.

 Barbara Moses, PhD, is a speaker, organizational career management consultant and the author of Dish:

Midlife Women Tell the Truth about Work, Relationships and the Rest of Life. Website: www.bmoses.com

© 2012 The Globe and Mail Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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