Paradox of CAN Groups (HBO.3)

Can Groups, also known as learning teams, exists in the hallowed halls of this Institute. It has been a practice to put people together into teams to foster learning and friendship. It has not worked out that way so far.

I am not questioning the logic of implementing learning teams I just find it amusing that the paradox of teams is magnified 100 times more here. We are commonly taught the value of teamwork, of coordination, of communication within a team but deep in the underbelly of that well oiled machine that we call TEAMS are individuals with their own agendas, own priorities, own motives. So when is the group of individuals become a team?? A question highly debated in class... Is it when individuals let go of their personal agendas to garner team success? If yes, then there is a flaw in a system that only acknowledges individual success and rarely mentions team success. Unless the system is not fostering teams at all... It might be that we are truly fostering individualism within the team. there might be "The Individual in a Team" handbook and it teaches us how to rise on our own even though our team is failing or how to look good in front of the boss using someone else's ideas...

Of course these things are not unique to this institution. We all know it exists in any organization, and I think how we handle this now is the real lesson that we need to learn. The whole experience takes a look on what kind of person we are. How much we can tolerate members, and what we do in response to the situation. Right now it has been my observation that the class has been working independently rather than being in a team. I think this is a response in the difference of working habits and work ethic. Cultural differences plays a huge role in this especially when you find yourself as the minority. There has been no "new culture" or "team culture" that was formed from the CAN Groups or maybe individualism is the new "team culture" unique to this class...

Maybe there is actually an I in the word TEAM. (a silent i)