> Maybe he's a great team player (...) and doesn't want people to touch what he builds for himself
Isn't that the exact opposite of being a great team player?
I had a boss who was "a great team player" once. We were both working for a rapidly growing startup and he was very open to suggestions on how to improve the system. So naturally when he started his own project I was very much eager to work with him again.
Turns out that it's easy to be a great team player when you are spending someone else's money and changing someone else's code. When I proposed changes to the system he built himself he took it very personal and all of a sudden he was not so open anymore.
It's easy to be generous with other people's money.
> Isn't that the exact opposite of being a great team player?
You're projecting as well which is visible by the example you give which has next-to-nothing in common with what's being discussed here.
You don't have to want to share governing of your personal idea project. You can be open to contributions that align with your goals BUT reject those that don't.
Both can be true at the same time and the latter does not make you a bad team player. It makes you a "if you want to help me build my shed in my back yard I'll welcome you but if you turn out to want to build a garage then I'll show you the door" person. Or in other words, it makes a fairly normal Homo Sapiens.
> Isn't that the exact opposite of being a great team player?
No.
The anecdote you shared shows a different part of being human: Knowing thyself. He let you in before he was mentally and emotionally ready to let go of his code, and as someone else noted in this thread, it has nothing to do what we talk about here.
Again, it's not about "people's money". It's about being ready to share and let go of control.
Isn't that the exact opposite of being a great team player?
I had a boss who was "a great team player" once. We were both working for a rapidly growing startup and he was very open to suggestions on how to improve the system. So naturally when he started his own project I was very much eager to work with him again.
Turns out that it's easy to be a great team player when you are spending someone else's money and changing someone else's code. When I proposed changes to the system he built himself he took it very personal and all of a sudden he was not so open anymore.
It's easy to be generous with other people's money.