What does it mean to have the perfect team 'on paper.'
on paper: in theory it looks good or possible—but it may or may not be that way in reality.
Notes:
This idiom stresses that in theory—as a concept or an idea—the thing being talked about looks good or seems like something that can be done or achieved. Sometimes, however, in reality (in real life) things are different than how we imagine them.
In the comic above, the woman is holding up a string of cut-out paper people. She says the team in her office looks good on paper. That means, they probably have the right skills, experience, education, training, etc. However, they will have to see whether or not the team is good in reality. Maybe even if everyone has great skills they may hate each other and not work well together. Maybe they will be a perfect team.
Examples:
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