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Trojan Horse in Team Dynamics: A Lesson in Boundaries and Collaboration
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In every team, the balance between creativity, autonomy, and collaboration is delicate. Occasionally, we encounter scenarios where the agreed-upon boundaries are subtly overstepped — not with malicious intent, but in ways that create ripple effects throughout the team. Let me share a concept that illustrates this: the Trojan Horse in team dynamics.
The Trojan Horse Analogy
Imagine a scenario where a developer is assigned to fix a bug — a task agreed upon by all stakeholders. On the surface, it seems straightforward: identify the issue, resolve it, and push the fix. But hidden within the bug fix comes something unexpected — unnecessary code improvements, structural changes, or stylistic alterations that were not part of the agreement. While these changes might be well-intentioned, they act as a Trojan Horse, introducing disruptions disguised as enhancements.
The Impact of Overstepping Boundaries
What seems like a minor deviation can lead to significant consequences:
- Negative Impacts on Others: Unsolicited changes may cause conflicts with ongoing work, create additional testing overhead, or require others to adjust their workflows unnecessarily.
- Illusion of Contribution: While the changes may…