- They are committed to the team. …
- They are flexible. …
- They are engaged. …
- They are reliable and responsible. …
- They actively listen. …
- They communicate within their team. …
- They lend a helping hand. …
- They are respectful.
Strong team players are the backbone of any team. These are the individuals who, in the face of failure, forge ahead with steadfast determination and perseverance, committed to completing the task. Most people can easily list the characteristics of poor team players, but do you know what traits great team players share?
You don’t have to be outgoing or indulge in self-promotion to be a great team player. In fact, great team players sport all kinds of personalities. Just be a proactive participant and go above and beyond what your job description requires. Prioritize the team’s goals over your own, and take the initiative to complete tasks without waiting to be asked. In exchange, you will cultivate a favorable reputation, increase your visibility, and make powerful connections to advance in your career.
One of the top 50 coaches in the United States, Joel Garfinkle, S. , as well as the writer of seven books, including Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Advance Your Career Many of the top businesses in the world, including Google, Deloitte, Amazon, Ritz-Carlton, Gap, Cisco, Oracle, and many more, have hired him as an employee. Visit Joel online at Garfinkle Executive Coaching. 41 Proven Strategies to Get Promoted Now is a FREE e-book when you sign up for his [email protected] Newsletter.
The 10 qualities of a team player
What is a team player?
Someone who puts the team’s objectives ahead of their own interests is a team player. Helping their team succeed is the best way for team members to achieve personal success. A strong team player, for instance, might offer to stay late at work to assist their coworkers in achieving a goal.
6 important team player qualities
You are a good team player because of a variety of personal traits, such as:
1. Good listener
A team player listens intentionally. Good listeners make it a point to constantly pay attention to the ideas and suggestions of their team members. While pursuing a shared objective, if you’re open to listening to a teammate, you might learn that they have valuable insights. Getting input from all team members can be very helpful because people frequently have very different perspectives when it comes to solving problems and making decisions. Team members who are receptive to feedback can improve the cohesiveness and unity of the group.
Example: During a morning meeting, Kwame observes that Casey appears agitated. When he later seeks her out, he discovers that she has several recommendations for how to enhance the office’s workflow. Her suggestions are different from anything the group has tried before, but Kwame listens attentively before passing judgment because he recognizes that Casey’s unique viewpoint might be useful in the workplace.
2. Adaptable
Team players will fill whatever role they need to. Team players are not stubborn or selfish in assigning roles. They know that always seeking the spotlight will harm teamwork. They are also aware that they might not always be assigned the task they prefer. They will do their best, no matter what the situation. Team players are prepared to work hard no matter what task is assigned to them.
Since she has the most experience, Elvira prefers to take the lead when discussing financial decisions. But when her manager asks her to hand over control of the new month’s budget to a teammate, she agrees to step aside and accepts her new position as a support for her colleague.
3. Aware of others
A team player is always aware of the potential contributions from other team members. They are familiar enough with their group to know which team members would be best suited for which tasks. A team player will also acknowledge when another person can complete a task more effectively than they can. They do not delegate their work to others, but they do not feel embarrassed to ask someone who they know has more expertise or a more specialized set of skills for assistance.
Example: Brian is still getting used to the new graphic design software at work. He asks a less experienced worker to assist him when his design team is tasked with using the new technology to create a detailed graphic. He is aware that the newer employee will probably receive more praise for a successful outcome than he will, but he values the project’s success over his own desire for attention.
4. Reliable
A team player is aware of how their actions will impact the entire group. They will therefore take care to always finish their portion of the work efficiently and on time. They consistently work to complete tasks by the deadline in order to increase team productivity as a whole. A team player is careful to keep their promises and consistently fulfills the commitments they make. A team player takes pride in being a reliable team member.
Iman, for instance, is well-known for being a reliable person at the newspaper office where she works. She consistently completes her tasks and consistently contributes to team projects. Iman consistently submits her articles on time so that her editors have time to complete the edits before office hours end. She makes sure to never be late to meetings because she is aware that doing so will reduce the team’s overall productivity. Iman’s supervisor knows she can depend on her to complete tasks to a high standard.
5. Responsible
Team players are aware that they must assume full responsibility for their share of the workload when working as a team. Team players put forth a lot of effort to ensure that they are consistently fulfilling their responsibilities at work rather than attempting to delegate some of their tasks to a coworker. When it comes to completing their fair share of the workload, employees must be dependable and trustworthy in the eyes of the employer. Trustworthiness is a priority for team members, and they consistently make an effort to finish their assignments on time. They understand that doing their fair share of the work benefits the entire team.
Example: Ellie’s new position is in the travel agency’s customer service division. She spends her time each day answering calls from customers and potential customers. After a busy weekend, she arrives late at work and falls behind on her call quota. She could have made up a reason for her poor performance or asked a colleague to take some of her clients, but she decides to speak to her manager instead. Ellie’s manager is delighted to assist her change her schedule and make up for the lost hours after she accepts full responsibility for being late.
6. Outgoing
A team player is always willing to assist other teammates. They offer their services as volunteers whenever the team might benefit from them. Whenever you are working as a team, initiative is crucial. Assisting others with a challenging task, taking on some of a teammate’s workload if they get too busy, or offering to conduct additional research that could help the team are all examples of volunteering to help.
Example: Terry has extensive practical knowledge of social media sites. He observes a team member struggling to set up a business account on a recently released platform and offers to assist right away. He is aware that by lending his knowledge, his colleague may complete the assignment quickly and move on to other tasks, increasing the team’s productivity as a whole.
