How to Be a Team Player?

Have you ever thought about how to be a team player? The popular adage that teamwork makes the dream work has turned into a static cliché of late as more and more employees stray from the key tenets of teamwork and tend to focus on a career-centric approach at any cost to inter-personal relations. This, however, is on the way to change as the challenging job market, deadlines and expectations on employees have reached a crescendo, and at this time, relying on each other may be the best course of action. In this post, we will discuss 5 aspects of how to be a team player.

According to surveys on job-based websites, the collaborative ability is one of the most in-demand skills this year. Teamwork essentially allows integrating and evolving upon different perspectives, bringing about holistic development within the team, and allowing fresh ideas to flourish. It also helps to have a cohort of people who have got your back in any scenario. 

Some of the best qualities that your co-workers, as well as management, will appreciate for an employee of any designation are – 

• Understanding your role – This is an often understated skill that is crucial for achieving your team objectives. You can always offer help to your co-workers or teammates, but you should always be aware of your position and never try to undermine them. 
• Welcoming collaboration – Any team effort means a variety of opinions, methods to do things and personalities. Even if you are proud of your idea, being receptive to your teammates is always a smart thing to do. 
• Holding yourself accountable – Always try to take responsibility for your actions and look for solutions for any problem. You should also think about how your actions will have a bearing on the whole group, as by doing this, you can learn from your errors and be looked up to in your circle. 
• Being flexible – Flexibility is imperative if you want to work with a team, as you should try to accept any job the manager provides and improvise accordingly. This can greatly help your team to deal with any kind of work. 
• Having a positive attitude – Being the source of positivity even in a stressful time does wonder for team morale. Just being positive will help create a much better atmosphere for productivity within the team. 
• Putting the team first – Being fully invested and committed to the team will show your teammates that you fully believe in their potential and are willing to work towards your collective goals. This commitment can automatically increase team morale and boost productivity organically. 

Hence, the ability to work well with a team relies on these underlying qualities one must possess or try to build. As we have seen the many qualities that are considered essential in a team player.

Now, let us now take a look at some of the ways in which you can learn on how to be a team player –

Offer help. 

Offering to take a load off of a fellow teammate or employee is the sort of behaviour that can make you popular in the workplace. So if you see a co-worker getting overwhelmed with a particular task, offering your help is considered very professional. Teams function on this system of help and, likewise, never hesitate to ask for help. 

Meet your deadlines.

Being reliable at completing work is a great way to earn the team’s trust and make yourself useful. Meeting your deadlines is a simple way of getting the message across that you are reliable and can be trusted with high-quality work and work within a schedule, which are crucial attributes at work. The reliability factor means you will be especially appealing to your team as they can count on you to get your work done promptly. 

Avoid Office Politics. 

Teamwork is the glue that binds a healthy workplace together. Office politics, however, is the other end of the spectrum as it creates a toxic work environment that curtails positivity and productivity. 

Always try to steer clear of any involvement in the rumour mill, and if you have any issue with any co-worker, try to address it in person or bring it to HR. 

Show good communication skills.

Any sort of team-building involves using excellent communication skills to bring your team together. These skills can help you give and receive information verbally, which helps in learning how to be a team player. 

Celebrate your teammate’s success. 

The best way to build a good and authentic relationship with your teammates is to give credit where credit is due. Being in a team means celebrating personal as well as the team’s victories, and acknowledging great contributions by these teammates can greatly improve their morale. This also greatly increases the chances of them celebrating your successes. 

Collaboration is a major part of working successfully, and learning how to be a team player for your team is vital. When you aim to be a great team player, others will follow. In doing so, you can improve your workplace, grow in your personal life, and advance your career.