“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual starts in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” – Babe Ruth

It was kindergarten, my first year of school, at a small school in the Mohave desert. I thought I was doing ok, but then the report card came out with that dreaded admonition.

Doesn’t play well with others.

That appears on my report cards many times in my early years. You might think that’s because I was always trying to take control and tell others what to do. But you’d be surprised, because it was the opposite. I always removed myself from the others, where I could be in my own.

I was painfully shy up until my senior year in high school. Some people who know me now can’t believe it, but it’s true. I wasn’t at all social.

But I knew and saw plenty of the other type of “doesn’t play well with others.” Always had to have their way, would take toys from the other kids, and generally tried to boss around a bunch of other five year olds.

Sometimes I think they all grew up and got into radio.

There are still me-focused people in our workplaces who don’t play well with others. They have to be the center of attention, they have all the good ideas, they think they have all the answers, and generally pay no attention to the contributions of others.

If they didn’t jump from job to job, ultimately they will fail. Failure is a “me” sport, but success is a team sport. Success for you, and for everyone around you. I’ve known a good number of them, and they were miserable. They never learned that a leader inspires others, not orders others. That a leader doesn’t just enjoy their own success, but also celebrates the success of everyone around them. That a leader is inclusive and not exclusive.

I have no great 5 step plan to overcome the “doesn’t play well with others,” I just wanted to say I’m sorry to them. I’m sorry everyone around you is less competent that you are, that everyone seems to be against you, and doesn’t appreciate what you do. I’m sorry others are constantly letting you down and sorry that they interfere with your ideas to the point you try to hide them.

Someone did let you down. A friend, a boss, a teacher, a co-worker… someone should have let you know that success is a team sport.