Today’s Challenge: I Don’t Want to Be on a Team

Each week, I respond to a question submitted by a reader. Today’s issue is one I’ve faced more than once over the years. The question is: In an increasingly team-based world, what is the role of the individual contributor?

Let’s start with a working definition of an individual contributor. Individual contributors work primarily alone; their work can be accomplished in a largely independent fashion, and they are not part of an on-going team.

So is there a place for these people in your organizat...