Teams stall when nobody says “I will” and everyone waits for “we”—and the result is rework, finger-pointing, and slow execution. In this article, Jef Menguin shares a simple way to build personal ownership inside teamwork through clearer roles, promises, and follow-through. Use it in your next meeting and pass it on so accountability becomes normal, not awkward.
I’ve heard this line in so many workshops: “There is no I in teamwork.”
It usually gets a laugh, a nod, maybe even applause.
Then the team goes back to work… and nothing changes.
Because the line sounds humble, but it often produces the opposite effect. It teaches people to speak in a way that feels safe, polite, and vague. It promotes “team spirit” while quietly removing the one thing that makes teams work: ownership.
The truth is simple: there is an I in teamwork.
That “I” is personal accountability.
When teams talk in “we,” the room gets foggy
If you want to see this in action, listen closely during any debrief or team discussion about problems.
Ask a team, “What’s getting in the way?” and you will hear sentences like:
“We should communicate better.”
“Some of us don’t care.”
“We don’t know our goals.”
“We don’t know who is responsible for training us.”
“You should commit yourself to the team.”
Those sentences don’t sound wrong.
They’re just… safe.
They spread blame like peanut butter. Everyone gets a taste. No one gets accountable. The team agrees, feels serious for a moment, and then Monday comes—and the same patterns return.
Have you noticed that? Teams can talk about issues for an hour and still avoid the one move that would fix the issue.
Because “we” can become a hiding place.
The shift is not “more teamwork.” It’s clearer ownership.
I’m not against teamwork. I’m against teamwork slogans that remove responsibility.
A strong team isn’t a group of people who avoid the “I.” A strong team is a group of people who can say “I” without fear, without drama, and without turning it into ego.
This is where many teams get stuck. They think personal accountability means individualism. They imagine “I” is selfish. They assume that if people start speaking in first-person, collaboration will collapse.
But accountability doesn’t kill teamwork.
Avoiding accountability kills teamwork.
What accountable teams sound like
Now compare the “we” sentences with what accountable teams say when they’re serious about improving.
Instead of “We should communicate better,” you hear: “I wasn’t clear. I will communicate earlier starting today.”
Instead of “Some of us don’t care,” you hear: “I haven’t shown that I care. I’ll find a way to show it, and I’ll follow through.”
Instead of “We don’t know our goals,” you hear: “I don’t understand the goal yet. I’ll ask today, and I’ll repeat it back to confirm.”
Instead of “We don’t know who is responsible,” you hear: “I will find out who owns this and I’ll take the next step.”
Those are not motivational lines.
Those are decisions.
And decisions change behavior.
Why people avoid “I”
Let’s be honest: first-person language feels risky.
When someone says “I,” they are stepping into the light. They’re saying, “I’m part of the problem.” They’re admitting limitation. They’re putting a stake in the ground.
And in many workplace cultures, people have learned that stepping into the light is dangerous. It can be used against you. It can be interpreted as weakness. It can attract more work.
So people protect themselves with general statements.
If that’s what’s happening in your team, don’t shame it. Just name it. Then build a safer way to speak.
Because a culture that punishes ownership will never get real ownership.
A facilitation move that changes the conversation
Here’s a simple tool you can use in meetings, team huddles, and workshops.
When someone speaks in “we,” don’t argue with them. Don’t correct them. Don’t lecture.
Just invite the upgrade.
Ask: “What’s your I in that?”
Or: “Can you say that as an I?”
Then help them convert it, without changing the meaning—only the ownership.
“We don’t communicate” becomes, “I haven’t been clear with you.”
“You should commit” becomes, “I will commit starting today.”
“They don’t care” becomes, “I haven’t shown care in a way that’s felt.”
This does two things at once. It slows the conversation down, and it brings the problem back to the one place where change is always possible: the person speaking.
The motherhood statement trap
In many debriefs, teams give what I call “motherhood statements.” They’re the kind of lines everyone agrees with because they are safe and vague.
“Communication is important.”
“Respect is key.”
“We should support each other.”
No one disagrees. That’s the problem.
A team can collect motherhood statements forever and still stay stuck, because no one has to do anything differently.
The “I” breaks the spell. It forces a commitment.
And commitment is measurable.
Teams win when individuals win—and own their part
There’s another myth hiding behind “there is no I”: the idea that individual goals and team goals are enemies.
Great teams don’t erase the individual.
Great teams help individuals achieve meaningful goals while achieving team goals. People feel that their role matters. They see how their work connects. They feel needed—not just included.
But that only happens when individuals take responsibility for how they show up.
You don’t build a strong team by demanding more unity.
You build a strong team by making ownership normal.
Pause and check your own language
Try this the next time you’re in a team conversation.
Notice your default sentence starters when something goes wrong.
Do you start with “we”?
Do you start with “they”?
Do you start with “you”?
Now ask yourself: What would it sound like if I owned my part—even a small part?
Not to carry the whole team.
Just to carry your piece.
Your next step
In your next meeting, pick one moment to practice this.
When the room starts speaking in “we,” invite one person—gently—to translate it into “I.” Then ask for a specific action and a timeframe.
The goal is not perfect language.
The goal is a team that stops hiding behind the group and starts moving as responsible individuals—together.
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