An Afterword

People often ask, “Why is there a need for teamwork?” “Why can’t we focus just on ourselves and generate higher returns?” “Everyone wants to win and for every winner, there will be a loser, isn’t it?” As human beings, even as employees within a company, we often assume that we are constantly being engaged in zero-sum games, when in fact non-zero sum games exist and these should be the mode of operation in order to maximize gains, both individually and organizationally.

But for a beneficial equilibrium to be achieved, communication is vital. In fact, effective communication must be present for a borderless team to function well. If the management of Continental Airlines still persisted with a strict top-down approach with information flowing through a one-way route, I don’t think it could turn things around so quickly. If communication barriers are erected, distrust will permeate through every member, every department; and if trust becomes an issue, then the organization will, without a sliver of doubt, slip into a chaotic disequilibrium, fueled by retaliation. In order to for you to digest this lengthy article easily, just remember the following three pointers:

So folks…remember to be nice. Being nice does have its bottom-line benefits as niceness begets niceness as hostility begets hostility; and if in doubt check with the Game Theory.

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