Individualism, pop bands & workplace collaboration
How many of you remember the Spices Girls or Backstreet Boys?
The late ’90s and early 2000s were dominated by iconic girl and boy bands. We couldn’t get enough of them. I remember those teenage years, locked in my bedroom, belting out their tunes and perfecting their dance moves (or at least trying to). But where have all the pop bands gone?
The number of bands in the Top 100 chart has shrunk since the last decade, and most of the top artists in the chart are solo projects.
This is a great reflection of society and the social media world we currently live in, which focuses attention on individuals, indirectly creating a stronger individualistic culture. The Guardian observes that younger generations are less interested in being part of a band where collaboration is vital and more attracted to the idea of going solo. It’s so much easier to create music in your own bedroom and upload it to social media. This mirrors the growing focus on standing out, personal brand and success, a cultural shift that places individualism and forgets about togetherness.
The ‘American Dream’
In modern society, individualism has long been celebrated as a core value. It drives progress, innovation, and personal freedom. When thinking about America, it’s impossible not to think about the American Dream. This individualistic approach separates us, places us against each other and doesn’t nurture empathy for one another. It’s interesting to read about ‘heroic individualism’ in Brad Stulberg’s The Practice of Groundedness, as it captures a mindset that promotes the idea that personal achievement is paramount, often at the expense of collaboration. While it can drive individuals to achieve more, it can also leave them feeling isolated and disconnected from their teams, a trend increasingly reflected in the workplace.
So, we can’t deny that the fabric of modern society shapes not only our personal lives but also how we bring ourselves into the workplace, and this focus on individualism also has significant consequences for how we work together. How we define projects, work toward goals, and build relationships with colleagues is profoundly influenced by the world outside our office walls.
Whether we realize it or not, our social and cultural contexts inevitably seep into our professional lives. Some may strive to maintain a strict separation between their personal and professional identities, while others fully integrate the two. However, our society significantly shapes our thoughts and, consequently, our work.
At first glance, this may seem philosophical or even abstract when applied to the workplace, but if you strip away the layers of bureaucracy, hierarchy, and formalities, what remains is a group of people-individuals coming together to collaborate and achieve something. Who we are, how we think, and the way we interpret the world around us deeply impact how we approach a project, how we work toward deadlines, and how we build meaningful connections with our coworkers.
The importance of collaboration for designers
As designers, we can’t achieve our goals by ourselves. If we don’t want to get bothered by product or sales or marketing, we need at least to have a great working relationship with engineers as they are the ones pushing the designs to the world.
Paola Antonelli, talking about her student experience at the Politecnico of Milan on Design Better Podcast, clearly says:
Design can never stand by itself right it always has to have other crutches like I went to the Polytechnic of Milan so the crutch there was engineering not a bad crutch but it always is with something so it’s either within engineering or it’s within an art school and in either case you have some big shortcomings, which is interesting.
Individualism can create challenges for organisations that rely on collaboration and shared goals-and that’s every organisation! A balance must be struck between valuing personal achievements and promoting teamwork.
Workplaces thrive when they foster an environment where individual talents are valued but contribute to a collective vision. Strong communication, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose can counterbalance the downsides of individualism, leading to more engaged and connected teams.
If we want to have great products, we don’t need big egos, but great teams.
Melissa Tan explains the importance of teams focusing on fostering a team-first culture where collective success is valued more than individual achievements. Aligning on shared goals helps improve efficiency and impact. One key aspect of collaboration is establishing solid interpersonal relationships, which builds trust and promotes a collective mindset across the team.
I love the quote about growth being seen as a cross-functional effort, highlighting the importance of great collaboration.
[…] just infusing a culture of thinking like an owner. This infusing of the culture, I think it comes out in a few ways. One is, and this is really common in growth. Growth is so cross-functional that you often will end up feeling like you’re blocked by other teams.
How can we make sure that the competitive nature of climbing the organisational ladder doesn’t hinder teamwork? If the success of our products depends on how well teams collaborate, how can we prioritise and encourage this collaboration?
Collaboration is not a workshop, it’s a mindset
Let’s make this straight. Collaboration isn’t about doing a brainstorming exercise and forgetting that it has even happened.
I know workshops sometimes feel like a never-ending episode of a typical reality show (my go-to is RuPaul’s Drag Race). We are all in there to make a good show, but at the same time, we need to look better than the others to win.
We have all been in awkward workshops where everyone seems to demonstrate they are the next Steve Jobs. But let’s be honest, we’re all just trying to avoid being the next person laid off in a cost cutting measure nobody understands.
Collaboration doesn’t happen in any of those scenarios. It’s a much longer process that needs to be consciously incorporated into everything we do as a team. It doesn’t happen in a meeting; it’s something that we build over time the more we work together.
When teams truly collaborate and use everyone’s expertise to solve problems, it’s visible. as it allows us to create something that actually works.
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The Unholy Trinity: UX, Product, and Engineering
How many times have you heard of the three-legged stool? The one where you have engineering, product and design supporting a seat, meaning they are equally important to achieve the goal of a stool.
We designers are always dreamers who think every problem can be solved with a sleek interface and a perfectly placed button. On the other hand, we have product managers who (bless them!) try to keep this stool standing while juggling odd stakeholder expectations. And then we have the engineers, the wizards, who transform our gorgeous mockups into reality. They also make more artistic interpretations of the designs and use their artistic licence to build something completely different.
Unfortunately often each leg tries to convince the other one they are the most important part of the chair and organisation are oddly shaped.
But here’s the thing — magic happens when we work together. And by magic, I mean a product that doesn’t make users want to throw their devices out the window!
The Collaboration Conundrum
Collaboration isn’t just a fancy word for yet another meeting. It’s a mindset that we can all work towards, and it can set teams apart by producing better products. I like five main principles for creating great teams that work well together.
The Importance of Inclusive Design
Inclusive design is not merely a checklist; it involves creating diverse teams from the outset. This approach ensures that various perspectives are considered, ultimately leading to more innovative solutions. For managers, here are a few questions to think about when it comes to hiring and creating team:
- Have a fair hiring process: Evaluate your hiring stages critically. Are they fair and inclusive? Consider how you assess candidates and whether you have a matrix to evaluate them based on the team’s needs.
- Target underrepresented groups: Actively seek to hire from underrepresented backgrounds. This means posting job ads on platforms that cater to marginalised communities, such as POC tech spaces or women in tech forums.
Read more about it in my previous article.
Building respectful relationships
Respect is fundamental in any team dynamic. Alan Alda humorously noted, “The more empathy I have, the less annoying other people are.” While empathy is often overused in design discussions, respect for each team member’s expertise is crucial. Here’s how you can foster respect:
- Understand Roles: Take the initiative to learn about your colleagues’ roles — engineers, product managers, designers — and clarify responsibilities.
- Encourage Open Dialogue: Create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their insights and expertise.
Leveraging insights for better collaboration
Insights drive effective collaboration. Jim Barksdale famously said, “If we have data, let’s look at data. If all we have are opinions, let’s go with mine.” To avoid decision-making based solely on individual opinions:
- Conduct Research: Even without a large budget, you can gather valuable insights through simple methods like client interviews or surveys.
- Involve Everyone: Encourage team members from various disciplines to participate in research efforts. This cross-functional involvement helps everyone understand customer needs better.
I wrote more about starting small with research.
Aligning design with business goals
Understanding the business context is vital for applying your design or engineering skills effectively. Here’s how to align your work with business objectives:
- Frame decisions through a business lens: When proposing design changes, articulate how these decisions can help achieve business goals — such as increasing revenue or expanding the audience.
- Focus on value creation: Rather than getting bogged down in aesthetics alone, consider how your work contributes to the overall success of the business.
More about how to sell design through a business lens here.
Fostering enjoyment and celebration
Creating a joyful workplace is essential for team morale. Instead of viewing work as merely a series of tasks, celebrate achievements together:
- Recognise milestones: Take time to acknowledge accomplishments as a team. This practice not only boosts morale but also fosters a sense of belonging.
- Encourage fun: While forced fun can feel insincere, genuine celebrations of success can enhance team spirit.
More than workshops
So, collaboration isn’t just a brainstorming session with sticky notes or an endless round of meetings that could have been emails. Genuine collaboration is messy, unglamorous, and often requires more patience than we like to admit.
But when done right, it’s magic — the type that happens when diverse minds, mutual respect, and a shared goal collide. It transforms clunky ideas into products people enjoy using.
Collaboration is about building inclusive teams, respecting each other’s expertise, and grounding decisions in insights, not egos. It’s about aligning with business goals while keeping a sense of joy alive. And it’s a practice — a mindset — we must nurture every day.
So, let’s stop treating collaboration like a checkbox and start weaving it into every moment of how we work. Because the best products — and the best teams — aren’t built by lone geniuses. They’re built by people who roll up their sleeves, respect the process, and, maybe, crack open something fizzy to celebrate the wins along the way.
Originally published at https://raffdimeo.com on October 6, 2024.
