Teams have gone in and out of fashion as a way to improve productivity for years. In my field, teams are essential. The work requires a broad mix of skills and collaboration. But, myths about how to establish and support productive teams abound.

These three are pervasive and pernicious.

Myth #1: All a team needs to get them working well together is a clear goal and sufficient pressure to perform.

I’ve never seen a team without a clear and compelling goal gel; but I’ve seen plenty of teams who did have a clear goal flail and fail. Until a group of people decides to work as a team and decides to agree, they won’t function well as a team.

Myth #2: A manager can discern individual contributions to team results.

While a manager can tell certain things about the way a team is functioning, in most cases, it’s impossible to tease out individual contribution. And when managers try to assess who has made the biggest contributions, they are often wrong. Taking action on an incorrect assessment can have devastating effects on the team, and makes the manager look foolish.

Myth #3: If the team isn’t struggling or working long hours they aren’t working hard.

Teams that are working well together make the work look easy. They work at a purposeful, yet relaxed pace. They may even look like they are having fun.

Sadly, these myths do real damage. They depress results and stifle innovation. In some cases, they result in career and psychological damage. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Managers don’t have to rely on these myths or hope for some magic chemistry to create teams that thrive. It does take some willingness to examine assumptions and learn how to foster the conditions where teams will thrive.