Written by Nia Bowers
For decades, the phrase “There’s no ‘I’ in team” has echoed in locker rooms, classrooms, and boardrooms across the world. It’s a mantra rooted in collaboration, unity, and humility. Yet in his groundbreaking book, There Is An “I” In Win, author and business leader Joey Crum flips the script with thought-provoking urgency. He is not opposed to teamwork but instead challenges readers to re-think a cultural story that has long undermined personal ownership in favor of group conformity.
Joey Crum doesn't write as some far-off theorist but as a successful practitioner tested in the crucible of experience. His book is neither a revolt against collaboration far from it but a call to arms for true leadership based on personal agency. Crum's main thesis is that lasting success both personal and business is constructed not against the self but by the bravery to fully claim it.
In a culture trained to prize obedience and agreement, Crum identifies an increase in silence among voices that are afraid to speak out, innovate, or lead. Why? Because we've conditioned ourselves to believe that courage is arrogance, uniqueness is disturbance, and expressing one's truth is risky to the team. Crum names this what it is: a cultural blunder that robs us of innovation, authenticity, and advancement.
Crum's "I" is not ego-driven it's about empowerment. He describes the "I" in win through three values that are at the heart of what it means to be a human: individual responsibility, creativity, and integrity. It's an approach that understands that every great success is driven by an individual who had the courage to own up, to think differently, and stand up for their values even when it was the easy option not to.
His reflections call to mind the quote from basketball legend Michael Jordan: “There’s no ‘I’ in team, but there is in win.” It is this nuance Crum explores with depth and urgency. While collaboration is vital, he warns that prioritizing uniformity can crush the very spark that ignites excellence. Great teams are not built by conformity but by courageous contributors who bring their full, unique selves to the table.
Crum begins his book with a self-reflection on how society conditions us out of individuality, starting from childhood with gentle reminders to "play nice" and "obey the rules." These early teachings tend to instruct us on how to get external approval and be afraid of standing out. With time, we internalize this conditioning, and our creativity, voice, and initiative are often stifled for the sake of groupthink. Crum deconstructs these conditioning limitations with accuracy.
Through compelling examples and real-world applications, Crum explores how accountability begins with personal ownership. In high-performance environments whether in business or life the difference-maker is often the one willing to say, “I’ll take care of it.” It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present, responsive, and relentlessly engaged in growth. Without this mindset, mediocrity becomes the norm and progress stalls.
Crum also gives critical scrutiny to the place of innovation in both every day and professional life. Innovation, he contends, is not the purview of Silicon Valley billionaires or rocket scientists. It is the quiet, everyday act of challenging the ordinary. It's seeing barriers as a chance to change and mistakes as a way of learning. It's the parent experimenting with a new bedtime routine, the employee streamlining a process, the entrepreneur having the courage to create something new.
Integrity, the third of Crum's pillars of "I", is what unites accountability and innovation. Without integrity, the desire for achievement can tip over into self-interest. With it, people become forces of influence leaders who are unwavering in their values and consistent in their behavior. Crum's focus on integrity reminds us that character is not developed by gestures in bold headlines but in the subtle decisions made when no one is looking.
What really makes There Is An "I" In Win stand out is not only its message, but its moral clarity. Crum recognizes the fear of entering one's "I." Fear of failure. Fear of judgment. Fear of being considered difficult or uncooperative. But he does not avoid these tensions instead, he provides a map for how to manage them. His work urges people to take back their voices, not against the team, but as part of it.
The book is particularly pertinent in the workplace culture of today, where authenticity is loudly advocated in principle but punished in practice. Crum's message is one that will resonate with leaders, creatives, and team players: being oneself is not treason against the team, but the platform upon which genuine collaboration is possible.
Crum concludes the introduction with a dramatic reframing: "What if we began to say, 'There's no 'I' in team but there is in initiative, in integrity, in innovation, in influence, in impact.'" This reframing encourages us to break free from archaic dichotomies and start creating systems where we don't have to shrink, but shine.
There Is An "I" In Win is not just a book. It's a movement to reclaim self-leadership in a world of groupthink conformity. It's an invitation to redefine what it means to be a team player. And most importantly, it's a reminder that the greatest leaders don't lose their "I" they cut it to a fine point. Joey Crum has provided us with a handbook for empowerment, and in doing so, he's lit the way to greater purpose.
