Why “We” Sounds Better Than “Me”

I’ve been at my first job out of college for over a year now. I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons, answered a lot of really weird emails, and finally I feel comfortable enough using Excel on a daily basis. I’ve always seen both the value in working alone and on a team. This job has really taught me how important teamwork can be, and why “we” almost always sounds better than “me.”

Since my first day on the job, I’ve hardly ever emailed one person at a time. I’m constantly cc’ing and being cc’ed on emails that I don’t even respond to. Obviously, the function of a carbon-copied (cc’ded) email is essentially an FYI. It’s a way for to you say, “Hey, Boss – I did this and she did this and we are both agreeing that it looks good and it’s done, and now you know this, and we don’t have to walk into your office and tell you all of that.”

The other – and arguably more important – function of a cc is to present a team. This is a phrase my boss uses constantly. It sounds very formal and corporate, but there is truly a lot to be said about “presenting a team.”

For one, your client feels valued, knowing that more than one set of eyes has looked over every pitch and press release that you send their way. They also know that a team of people take the time every week to sit together, brainstorm and collaborate new ways in which to approach a project. And if for some reason, the ball is dropped or a mistake is made, you have a team of people to support you. You aren’t singled out as the mistake-maker. Your team backs you up and you work together to fix the problem. Having a team work on a client or a group of clients also eliminates the overall likelihood of errors. It’s a guaranteed, tried-and-true, effective way to approach business.

You know what they say – There is no “I’ in “team.”

And now I really believe it.