James Heskett lobs a topic for consideration in this article. He expresses the hypocrisies that occur when leaders hope for collaboration and teamwork for the benefit of the organization but provide incentives for individual performance.
. . . we speak of the desirability of good long-term business performance, but almost all incentives, especially those imposed by markets, reward short-term performance while ignoring <the desired> long-term performance.”
Source: HBR Working Knowledge, August 1, 2023. Link.
INSIGHTS: Too often employee incentives metaphorically sound like a vocalist warming up for a performance, “me, me, me, me, me.” Top performers are usually supported by teams who make A performances possible. Awarding more of the team may raise the performance overall.