Such managers are few and far between. The teamwork ethic at Marriott originated in the late 1920s when few of the company's employees had special credentials. Academic degrees, connections, and politicking were less important than commitment and hard work. Although the number of credentialed officers at Marriott has increased in recent years, the company still maintains a philosophy that encourages everyone to roll up their shirt-sleeves and pitch in. The best way to develop a strong teamwork ethic is to create an environment where the reward of working together outweighs that of working for individual interests.
Every business needs smart, ambitious people to drive it into the future.
Ambitious people have egos that give them the confidence to do their jobs. If they cannot manage their egos, you need a system in place that does it for them. Create an egalitarian culture that values everyone's input. Don't offer outrageous incentives packages to select people to get them to stay on board. It undermines team spirit.