Last night, I heard American classical pianist Emanuel Ax play a selection of pieces by German composer Ludwig van Beethoven and Austrian-American composer Arnold Schoenberg.

One man. One piano. Two composers who years and decades earlier wrote independently. One by electricity. The other by candlelight.

Listening, enveloped in the magnificent sound of Beethoven’s Pathétique, I couldn’t help thinking that the “one” has been replaced by the many, teams of engineers, developers, marketers, salespeople, buyers, and analysts.

Yes, independent artists – musicians, composers, painters, animators, and writers – still exist and are valued, but the emphasis is on teamwork, marching to the same beat. Stepping out of line is frowned upon.

Management and executives see individuality as great on paper, but unacceptable in practice because it disrupts the flow, even if research shows companies are most successful when they encourage people to speak out and pursue their passions.

Hiring decisions, unfortunately, seem to subscribe to this same dogma. Instead of looking at candidates’ unique skills and accomplishments, the unspoken goal is to find someone who will mesh with the existing team and organizational culture.

The fear is hiring the wrong candidate could jeopardize the entire team. So, taking a chance with a candidate who doesn’t fit the mold is perceived as risky, rather than progressive.

Here’s a fun story.

Ages ago, I worked at Tektronix. There was a technician whose cubicle was a disaster. His personal hygiene and choice of clothing were no different. There were numerous framed patents above his desk. I asked how he’d got them. In one instance, he was on a team with software, hardware, and mechanical engineers. They were trying to solve a difficult challenge. Over time, everyone dropped off the team, leaving him to solve the challenge, using physics, his passion.

The power of one.