Being a good team player is more than just a catchphrase thrown around the office. Quality teams working together for the greater good are the backbone of successful companies across America. So, how can you be the best team player you can be? Let us break it down into three basic ideals.
- This is a simple idea, but not always easy to accomplish: Have a positive attitude! Keeping your interactions positive, professional, and fun helps to keep the team’s morale up. High morale yields better work and ideas. If you are excited about the project, your team will be excited about the project!
- Hunger, and not just for the amazing donuts found in the break room. This is the hunger that yields a desire to work hard and get things accomplished. An idle mind is not going to push a project forward or meet a deadline on the assembly line. Not only do you need this hunger, but this hunger needs to be for the greater good of the team and sometimes you must put the team’s needs ahead of your own agenda.
- Showing a genuine interest in the individual members of your team/workplace. Social awareness and interpersonal common sense are the cornerstones of any good team and business. A great team player knows how to understand an individual’s motivations and adapt to work with everyone on the team effectively. A great way to support your team is to know how to listen and pick up on what is not being said.
Not every team you are on is going to be a fulfilling experience but employing the three tips above can mean the difference between a successful project and a missed opportunity for greatness.