Article by Charles Handy on how untrammeled individualism erodes or works against the formation of an organization, community, and a successful and prosperous society. Handy begins the article discussing his perception of a rowing team, and how it seemed to him an insecure arrangement for a team, before being corrected by an oarsman that it is an ideal team arrangement. He then reflects that the same message of the rowing team was depicted in the film “True Blue” before moving on to discuss a phrase of Ross Perot on individuality, ‘Eagles don’t flock,’ which connotes American individualism but, as Handy remarks, managers understand that a good team is more than the sum of its individuals, and efficient, productive teams matter. He goes on to discuss the continued emphasis on the individual and how the best people have access to a global marketplace, giving the elite a choice of rewards that exceed those available to people who are not as good, but that individuals have to be prepared to sacrifice their preferences and pride if a successful team effort is to be a possibility. Handy argues that to bring this sacrifice about, individuals must be given a cause to collectively work toward. He concludes that Ross Perot’s statement is wrong, as too much individualism can corrupt a nation by placing too much emphasis on rights without any regard for duties or responsibilities, and leads to the deterioration of “social capital.”
Handy, Charles B Tocqueville, Alexis de, 1805-1859 Microsoft Corporation Handy, Elizabeth University of Cambridge University of Oxford Social capital (Sociology) Individualism Perot, Ross, 1930-
Source
Article by Charles Handy on how untrammelled individualism erodes or works against the formation of an organization, community, and a successful and prosperous society, 1997; Charles Handy Papers; Box 20, Folder 12; 1 page
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