One of the commons myths about entrepreneurs is that when they were in grade school they probably got a "does not play well with others" on their report card. But, nothing could be farther from the truth.
This Lone Ranger Myth is perpetuated by many first-time entrepreneurs as they launch their first ventures.
Jonathon Fields has a great post on his own tendency to fall into the Lone Ranger Myth at his blog:
My thought process went something like this, "I'm pretty smart, I work harder and faster than anyone I know, I can learn entire new fields in the blink of an eye. And, though it often takes an ounce of blood and a whole lot of pain, I almost always achieve what I'm shooting for. So, really, why would I need anyone else to help me out? All other people do is muck up MY process!"
But the truth is that we all do benefit from help and counsel of others and from building a solid team.
As Robert Reich points out in his classic essay "Entrepreneurship Reconsidered: The Team as Hero," we seem to want to celebrate the Heratio Alger type stories of entrepreneurs overcoming all odds to make it on their own in our society.
But the truth is, most successful entrepreneurs rely on teams. They may be formal teams that come together either as partners or as key employees supporting the entrepreneur. Or, they may be informal teams the entrepreneur pulls together as advisors and mentors.
Fields reflects on the impact of learning this lesson and letting go of the Lone Ranger Myth:
In business, mentors, partners, managers and staff joined as a family to allow me to accomplish what I ever could have done alone. And, in my personal life, simply asking questions of people close to me, yet far more experienced in the ways of being a good dad, husband and son...and being open to their answers has added so much to my ability to nourish my relationships.
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