Team Myths at Work: The Top 6 to Avoid

Top Team Myths at Work to Avoid
Despite the growing emphasis on project-based teams at work, we know from organizational culture assessment data that many teams struggle to achieve consistent results while maintaining good relationships. Why? Often, it’s not a lack of effort, skill, or desire — it’s the persistent belief in some team myths that undermine performance, trust, and alignment.

The 6 Top Team Myths at Work: What’s Holding Collaboration Back
These myths masquerade as best practices, but in reality, they dilute accountability, derail momentum, and foster mediocrity.  Let’s debunk the most common and costly team myths in today’s workplace.

1. Myth #1: “A Team is Just a Group of People Working Together”
   It’s tempting to call any working group a “team,” but there is a significant difference. A real team at work is defined by a shared team purpose, interdependent roles, mutual accountability, and a collective commitment to results. Simply placing individuals in a room — or on a team — won’t create the synergy needed to create a high functioning and high performing team.

   Without clarity of direction and alignment on strategy, you’ve got coordinated activity at best, not cohesive performance.

   The Reality
   We know from action learning leadership development that high functioning and high performing teams are intentionally designed and nurtured. Leaders must craft team charters, define decision-making authority, and set team norms that create trust and accountability.

2. Myth #2: “If You Hire Smart People, They’ll Naturally Work Well Together”
   Hiring top talent is important, but talent alone doesn’t guarantee collaboration or performance. In fact, when high performers are thrown together without clear roles, expectations, or shared goals, conflict often follows. Ego-driven turf wars, miscommunication, and competing priorities can fracture even the most talented groups.

   For example, in the 2023 MLB season, the top three spenders to acquire the most top talent – the New York Mets, the San Diego Padres, and the New York Yankees – all missed the playoffs.

   The Reality
   We know from project postmortem data that team collaboration is a designed, modeled, learned, and reinforced behavior. Teams thrive when members understand each other’s strengths, actively build trust, and align around common goals and values—not just IQ or resumes.

3. Myth #3: “Consensus is the Goal”
   While consensus sounds like team harmony, not every situation requires unanimity. When teams over-prioritize agreement, they can fall into groupthink, dilute bold ideas, or delay key decisions. Fear of constructive debate can mask disagreement, erode innovation, and create a false sense of unity.

   The Reality
   We know from decision making training that healthy teams embrace constructive conflict and know that disagreement is essential for growth. The goal isn’t universal agreement — it’s alignment and commitment to the best decision for the organization, even when not everyone agrees.

4. Myth #4: “Great Teams Are Always Democratic”
   While inclusive and active input is vital for team buy-in, high-performing teams don’t always make decisions by vote. In fact, trying to equalize every voice can confuse decision rights and stall progress. Some decisions demand expertise or speed, not consensus.

   The Reality
   We know from business strategy simulation data that decision-making must match the moment. Great teams are clear about who has authority for which types of decisions — and why. Everyone should have a voice, but not every voice needs a vote.

5. Myth #5: “Once a Team is Built, It Will Stay High-Performing”
   Even high-functioning teams degrade over time without intentional maintenance. People leave, roles shift, strategies evolve. What worked last quarter may not work now. Assuming the team’s cohesion and clarity will automatically persist is a dangerous mistake.

   The Reality
   Teams require continuous tuning. This means regularly revisiting team goals and accountabilities, ensuring that team roles and responsibilities make sense, assessing team dynamics, and recalibrating how work gets done. Like any high-performing system, teams need regular reflection and renewal.

6. Myth #6: “Trust Just Happens Over Time”
   We know from new manager training that there’s a naive notion that trust is something that simply “develops” if people work together long enough. But trust doesn’t automatically emerge with time; it’s built through deliberate actions, repeated reliability, and shared vulnerability.

   The Reality
   We know from leadership simulation assessment data that leaders must cultivate psychological team safety, model transparency, and create structures where trust can grow.

The Bottom Line
Great teams don’t happen by accident. They are purposefully shaped by strategic design, clear norms, and the courage to challenge pervasive myths. Are your leaders able to unleash the full potential of their teams?

To Learn more about how to avoid top team myths at work, download this Research-Backed Team Charter Template