Sometimes I think I’ll lose my lunch if I ever hear another word about “teamwork” or “collaboration” or “cross-pollination.” Corporate types love throwing around those terms as if they’re the cure-all for inefficiency, sagging profits, low morale, bad vibes—what-have-you.

I admit I’m not the rah-rah, go-team type, which is probably why I’m a writer. I’ve always been skeptical of the merits of group work—and now I feel I have ammunition for my view.