On any team project, there’s a balance between individual ambition and collective success. I recall a moment of what happens when that balance tips too far in the wrong direction.

I was leading a project where several collaborators contributed ideas. Everyone played a role, and the results reflected the value of collaboration.

Near the end, a new team member joined to help carry the project across the finish line. Their energy was great, and they were eager to contribute. Things took a turn when I learned they were preparing a recap of the project to share across the organization — without acknowledging the people who had been involved from the start. The draft made it look like the project was theirs alone.

We stepped in quickly and corrected the record, but the impression lingered. Colleagues noticed the attempt to take full credit, and trust was eroded.

This experience reinforced a simple truth: integrity matters. Projects are rarely the work of just one person. Recognizing contributions isn’t optional — it’s what keeps teams strong and motivated.

👍🏽 Ambition is good.
👍🏽 Drive is good.

👎🏽🐷 …but when ambition turns into greed, it damages relationships and reputations that can be hard to repair.

No one is a team of one.