You won’t, you just leave.
Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
21–30 of 30 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#22It sounds like the working situation is pretty in-line with what your colleagues want. I don’t think you need to make them work better/harder if that’s not their priority. They probably won’t be paid more if they do. Your best bet is to find a job that suits your “professional development” level instead of making everyone else cater to yours.
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#23It sounds like the working situation is pretty in-line with what your colleagues want. I don’t think you need to make them work better/harder if that’s not their priority. They probably won’t be paid more if they do. Your best bet is to find a job that suits your “professional development” level instead of making everyone else cater to yours.
To add to this, I’d rather be on a team with people I find “cool” and work well with than with high performers I don’t.
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#24How did you end up on this team?
I don’t know OP but perhaps they simply needed a job?
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#25Sounds like you should find another team, overall, but one point I'd like to make is that they might be "skilled" in ways you don't understand . Happy hour is making these people like each other and that can help a team get things done. Maybe you're noticing this team takes it too far, but consider the other extreme where everyone is "skilled" but is bad at things like asking each other for help or maintaining morale.
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#26Use the energy and drive on your own projects.
Those projects will open you new doors or opportunities.
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#27A job can simply be a job, a means to an end. Money to go do the things that you will thrive at.
It's hard to get there mentally, and you might not even want to, but either you can come around to it, leave, or stay and likely stagnate.
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#28Take it as an opportunity to learn new skills and work on your own projects.
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#29Adapt or move on.
Re: Ask HN: How do I thrive as part of an unambitious team?
#30>> The team does not seem to be interested ...
You say they seem to, did you validate that? Have you proposed new ideas, lunch and learns etc. In fact a happy team is usually more receptive and it's just that no one has taken the lead.
I would prefer a happy, less ambitious team than a toxic, ambitious team and I am saying this from experience. And it's not a problem in being less ambitious; may be they are a wiser lot!
If your job pays you well with a happy, less ambitious team; it is actually a boon in disguise. It means you are spending less energy and bandwidth and it's upto you how you use that. You can use it for personal learning, family, socialising, new hobby etc. Enjoy this team is my suggestion.