The 'Me' in 'Team'

Pride precedes destruction...

I can tell you from experience, the most dangerous person you ever wanna work with is a person with something to prove. But it's not a person who is trying to prove a mere point; they can actually be beneficial, because they are willing to acknowledge what is and what isn't. If they're wrong, they'll fess up; if they're right, they'll move on.

But the most dangerous person to work with is a person who is trying to prove... himself. When a person is trying to prove himself or herself, he or she will not call for help even if they need it; they're too worried about losing the right to independence and their shot at glory. He or she will not admit if they are wrong, even if they know they are; they're too worried about losing credibility and their shot at an "I told you so".

This is the type of person who puts an entire team in jeopardy. They operate on a rationale that no one outside of themselves can use. And the two rationales collide in what we call a conflict of interest; this conflict is what we like to refer to as the 'I' in 'team'.

But calling this the 'I' in 'team' is a little bit of an oversimplification in this case. The 'I' in 'team' could refer to a person who has any ol' outside interest. But a person whose interest is to prove his or her own worth... That's the 'me' in team. He or she is not the "subject", but the "object".

I speak as if I'm not that type of person, right? Well... the truth is, I'm not. The truth is, I don't respect most people enough to feel I hafta "prove myself". I mean, I have common respect for folks, but I'm not scared of anybody, and I don't feel I hafta impress anybody, except maybe the occasional rare beauty.

See, when I know I've got people attached to me, whether it be in a team or whatever, I realize that having something to prove is most likely to end with me being even more despised than I thought I was at the onset. I say thought because I also realize... most folks don't think enough about you or me to care to despise us. That's paranoia kidz. Plus, even if they did despise you... why is it important to make haters love you? Prostitutes sell themselves for the purpose of gratifying others; what does that make you?

Nah, if you've got something to prove, the best thing you can do is roll solo until you're comfortable with yourself. But when you link up with a team, but haven't learned to put yourself aside, then that team is gonna suffer at some point. I mean, just imagine if every part of your body had a brain of its own... It's because there's one brain that coordinates every other part that you're able to function effectively; otherwise, you'd never get anything done. Because there'd be no "you"; there'd be an out-of-control "us", each part doing what was best for itself.

But that's just in the 'I' scenario; in the 'me' scenario it would be the same thing, except your body would sever itself in a contest to see which part is best.


I Speak of the Roots of My Frustration B-(