When to be a lone wolf or choose to work with the herd

When to be a lone wolf or choose to work with the herdWhen to be a lone wolf or choose to work with the herdWeve all heard the career tropes about there being no I in gruppe and similar. For the most part, I cant think of a time Ive heard a motivational speaker encourage people to ignore the rest of the work crew in favor of doing it all on their own.Not all of us do their best work in group settings (raises my hand), one of the reasons the rise of the remote office and freelancing make the gig economy so powerful and popular. So how do you know when to stick with the rest or when its best to strike out on your own?Business has many similarities to individual and team sports, said Drew Westervelt, Founder + COO of HEX Performance, an entrepreneur who played nine seasons of Lacrosse in the MLL, NLL and with Team USA. You need to clearly understand and perform your best in the role that leads to wins. Whether you have the support of a team or are a lone ranger on the court, the same le vel of vision, preparation, and commitment is required to battle through.Okay, so we know that the analogies work, but how can you determine which team to join and which of the rules to follow? Sometimes its literally a matter of showing a willingness to be part of the group, even if part of your work is done independently.The royal weTrying to act more like part of the team? Westervelt says I never like to hear I internally during conversations as we inevitably will have a hand in the execution. I think it signifies an unwillingness to be open-minded and empathic to accepting other thoughts, idea and support. Good to know. Sometimes its important to try to act like part of the group simply not to be excluded from upcoming projects.How well do you prioritize?If youve got a constantly updated to-do list in your head, its possible youre best on your own. One of the most crucial skills that can help people figure out whether its best to fly solo or be a team player is the ability to pr ioritize, said Mike Lu, CEO of Triller an AI-powered music video app. Figuring out how much time is needed and what kind of return youll get on every project you take on is a tactic that will help you work smarter.Challenge yourselfWhile a strong team is powerful, Westervelt says Sometimes have to challenge yourself to think differently from the team. Why? Because If you rely too heavily on others, Westervelt believes you become a follower. Ive learned to believe in what sets me and my geschftsleben apart. We all have roles in business or on the field. Believe in your ability and have the confidence to make your value be seen by actions to drive your team or business. But dont just follow the pack. Westervelt believes that Me too ideas are never game changers.Come for the criticism, stay for the life lessonsBelieve it or not, being the lone wolf can sometimes make it harder to move swiftly and effectively because you dont have input or challenges from others necessary to better you rself and your work style. You might sit around puzzling over an issue when asking a potential team member for advice could change the trajectory of your career.One skill that stands out is the ability to accept constructive criticism, said Westervelt. Whether on the playing field or business arena, always ask for feedback. Customer feedback in business is similar to watching film in sports. It doesnt lie. But dont expect it to always be positive. Constructive and real feedback is sometimes hard to listen to, but it always helps build stronger products or services.Whats your action plan?As a leader, your ideas are nothing but thoughts in your head until you figure out how you can actually execute them, according to Lu. This involves deciding if its possible to execute on your own or if you need a team of five to help you out.You cant do it allOne of the problems perfectionists face is the inability to delegate, which usually means theyre trapped in a mire of busy work instead of the things they do best. Westervelt said.In my experience, a trusted team is essential to business success. You cant do it all. Nobody can He believes that You will grow individually when you surround yourself with great people and identify team goals metrics to achieve those goals.