“Which widget is it?” asked Company Director X. “Which widget malfunctioned? Which widget got stuck? Which widget squeaked the loudest? Only one thing to do: REPLACE IT!” I spent a long time being a #2, working alongside strategic leaders in different industries; all with a similar underlying need: they needed a sounding board, not an echo chamber or a "yes” man. Across industries, when people problems arose, the underlying issue usually boiled down to misconceptions about teamwork and what “teaming” really is. I became the voice who asked, “What if the answer *isn’t* replacing the widget(s)?” Many work cultures are rife with Widget Wonks: being out for ourselves, gossip, silos, backstabbing, and insecurities about our value or contributions. When team members have a clear picture of what their role entails, why they're the best person for it, and what their impact is on the team, they don’t feel replaceable--because they aren’t. If you find yourself in a widgeting conundrum, ruminating over *how* to best support your team, reach out so we may troubleshoot creative solutions to UN-Wonk your Widgets!