Does Agile enforce team spirit or teamwork is enough?

One of very much overrated characteristics of Agile/Lean process is the team spirit along with teamwork. When ever we talk about the process we also talk about empowering the team, self-sufficient team, self organizing team etc. etc. The big question is does the process itself enforce the team spirit. It may demand for teamwork from each individual but how the team spirit actually works.

Teamwork

Teamwork is simply work performed by a team.

We are not yet analyzing the quality of teamwork yet, which can be communication, coordination, support etc.

Team Spirit

Team Spirit is the spirit of a group that makes the members want the group to succeed.

• Does it entirely mean that other’s success is also your success.
• Does it also mean that you think your success is the only contribution to the success of the group
• Does it mean that whatever it takes to make the group success

When survival depends on the team spirit?

• Does team spirit leads to teamwork or teamwork demands the team spirit?
• Can teamwork exist without the team spirit?
• How essentials is the team spirit for teamwork?

Individuals

Team consists of individuals, each having different characteristics,

• one who really work hard
• one who is more career oriented
• one who enjoys the work
• one who just does the job
• one who does just enough
• one who does nothing but claims to do more
• etc. etc.

You will find different personalities with in a team.

How Agile helps in  teamwork and team spirit?

It talks a lot about self organizing teams, teamwork, customer success etc. etc.

• What if the each member in sufficient enough individually to contribute towards the success of the group as a whole.
• What if each member is not comfortable enough in grasping the concept of group
• How does the team spirit enforcement affect the successful individuals
• Does Agile enforce the team spirit as mandatory quality to be an agile

There are many such questions which pop up in mind. The process provides you platform to target such questions,

• It may help each member to adopt better in the same but it does not enforce the team spirit necessarily
• It asks for the team work from each member
• It provides you platform and environment to build the team spirit among the group
• It puts all the group members together to focus on single goal which is the success of the group
• It enforce in the sense that you directly or indirectly are responsible for the whole team as being part of the group

In general the teamwork is what the process demands and help you to achieve but the team spirit more depends on the individuals with in the team and the group as a team. Team spirit is again an individual skill which flourish well among the right team members.