For better or worse, literature and history are littered with examples of successful duos and groups that rely on one another’s expertise, instincts, and specific skill sets. Going-it-alone means everything from the resources to tools to connections to ideas are limited by what one person can do. The lack of depth or breadth in a one-man Solution usually results in band-aid fixes and shortsightedness.

In the business world, we are often facing problems that aren’t what they seem to be. Whether the customer can’t or won’t articulate the real issue, the boss doesn’t have time to explain exactly what’s wrong, or you’re trying to wrangle an explanation out of someone that is the verbal equivalent of a rubix cube, what you’re left with is incomplete or inaccurate information and a mystery to solve.

The Alias Group thrives because of our team-based culture. Rarely is a solution or an idea or ah-ha moment attributable Completely to one person. Rather it’s the result of collaborating to see things from a different perspective. We can show each other where there are gaps in our thinking or room to improve on an already brilliant notion. Collectively, we can pull the mask off the alleged monster that’s haunting our deals to reveal that all along it’s been this innocuous, mundane, completely defeatable obstacle.

Alone, we can only see what’s in front of us and don’t have a Toto to pull the curtain back to show that the great and powerful Wizard of Oz is just an old man with a machine.

So the next time you’re up against a formidable foe, make sure you’ve got the right team to help you win.