In 1968, economist Garrett Hardin introduced a concept in the environmental space that looked at the depletion of shared resources when individuals act in their self-interest. What we know today, after years of research in this critical space, is that this notion extends beyond environmental concerns, finding relevance in so many areas, yet the most overlooked must be in the dynamics of teams and collaborative efforts. In fact, having coached teams in organizations around the world, we know that an individual focus on success is so significantly detrimental to the success of a team and the mission or goal of that team, that even the most reasonable individual and team goals may be impossible – let alone the exponential outcomes most organizations target today. The question then is, what do you about it? We’ve cracked the code in this space and we’re sharing this research article to help you and your team optimize and thrive at all levels; as individual team members and leaders, as a team, and for the organization overall.