This morning on the way to work, a driver next to me switched lanes unpredictably. Marking that car as dangerous, I wanted to be either in front of them or behind them. If in front, they can see me. If behind, I can see them. It’s clear whose responsibility it is to watch out for whom. Driving next to other cars requires a situational awareness, and a trust between them. I didn’t trust that driver, so I chose not to be next to them. It is like on a team. If there’s a clear hierarchy, then everyone only has to watch the people in front of them. In self-organized teams, every team member needs an awareness of every other team member. We have to be careful not to run them over or let them fall behind. This takes trust, communication, attention and caring. Self-organized teams take more conscientiousness, more balance. Yet, how much faster cars can go next to each other than in a line!
Traditional team:
Self-organizing team:
Team without balance and situation awareness:
