It can take a long time.
It takes a long time for individuals on a team to gel – in fact, it’s precisely this fact why most organizations, especially startups, fail because they aren’t interested in waiting that long for things to work out.
The initial buzz and excitement of working with new individuals quickly gives way to annoyances, arguments, and fundamental differences that if not managed well or generally accepted will tear a team a part.
Most startups never get to a point of really performing as a team because they drive each other insane and don’t stick around long enough to see the positive side of these stormy events.
But if you don’t give up on the people (not even talking about the company or product) then you may find the sweet taste of success.
Steve Wozniak who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs has said this about success:
How far you go in life … it’s how well-liked you are by the people you work with.
It’s how you “gel” with your team and how the collective success of each individual in the context of that team is much bigger than each individual part.
It will take a long time for you to learn the quirks, the “lingo,” and the behavioral patterns of those that get to see you raw and uncut, let alone actually finding the team’s peak performance. If you don’t quit you have a shot. If you do quit you’ll never know.
Awesome advice. I think Michael Hyatt talks about this regarding publishing. In his experience, it’s the authors who welcome the help of agents and editors who seem to do the best.
It’s encouraging to hear because it means I personally have more control over such things by simply maintaining a positive attitude. Go figure.
Great post, thanks=)