Commitment to team success and shared goals

Interdependence
Interpersonal skills
Open communication and positive feedback
Appropriate team composition
Commitment to team processes, leadership & responsibility

Commitment to team success and shared goals

Interdependence
Interpersonal skills
Open communication and positive feedback
Appropriate team composition
Commitment to team processes, leadership & responsibility

Commitment to team success and shared goals

Interdependence
Interpersonal skills
Open communication and positive feedback
Appropriate team composition
Commitment to team processes, leadership & responsibility

Commitment to team success and shared goals

Interdependence
Interpersonal skills
Open communication and positive feedback
Appropriate team composition
Commitment to team processes, leadership & responsibility

A team player is a valuable asset to any organization. Here are a few qualities that can make
a team player outstanding in the workplace.

Reliable And Responsible

Actively Listens

Supports And Respects

Others
Always Ready To Help

Easily And Quickly

Show Genuine
Adaptable
Commitment
1. ___________________________________________________

Confident Communication
Compromises His Point Of
View
Shares His Opinion

A good team player might participate in the office hours but a great team player will make the
participation worth his time. He will give a 110% to his work for excellence.
2. ____________________________________________________
Instead of sitting at the bench watching the rest of the crew perform, an outstanding team
player wants to see the magic happen through his efforts as well. He is flexible to the
situations thrown his way, and he participates and tackles challenges without getting stressed
or pressurized under any given circumstances.
3. _____________________________________________________
While a good team player would get his work done silently without trying to involve others as
much as possible, an excellent team player will embrace the confidence and express his ideas
clearly and honestly without staying in the shadows.
4. ______________________________________________________
An excellent team player is expected to be at the top of his game by completing the tasks as
soon as he is given the job. He has positive relationships with his team members displaying
high levels of reliability and responsibility.
5. _______________________________________________________
A team player is only excellent at his role if he considers and respects the viewpoints and
ideas of other people as well. He understands and tries to include his team members by
listening to their opinion and taking it into account.
6. ______________________________________________________
Likewise, he shares his opinions without trying to come up with a plan on his own and take
credit for it. He keeps other team members informed at all times, instead of plotting away
new plans in the corner.
7. ______________________________________________________
Even if it is not his job, you can expect him to give a few pointers that could help the other
person out in one way or another. For instance, if a member of his team is having troubles
with dissertation writing, hed gladly help that person by giving him pointers regarding
methodology, literature review, etc.
8. ______________________________________________________
Instead of shutting someone out or laughing at their ideas, an excellent team member knows
how to respect his fellow team members. It is important to keep in mind that respect is only
received when you give it to others. An ideal team player knows how to have fun, but he
would never do it at the cost of someone elses respect.
9. _________________________________________________

Unlike a stubborn leader who believes his opinion to be the final decision within the group, a
good team player can compromise in support for the others. Team players have different
personalities. You can play your role by being an active part of your group through
participation and eagerness.
Part

Communicating with Coworkers

Communicate clearly with your coworkers and bosses. The most important part of being a team player at
work is communication. Clear communication will help avoid misunderstandings, promotes workplace
morale and helps projects get done more quickly.
o
Express yourself using I statements so that you are easily understood. Use phrases like:

"I feel like my suggestions aren't being taken seriously."

"I think we should consider another method."

Make sure that your words match your body language. Saying something positive
with negative body language (like rolling your eyes) can confuse people or make you appear dishonest.
Listen to your coworkers. In order to be a team player, you have to know what your coworkers and bosses

want and need. Actively listen to what they are saying before deciding on a course of action.
Make eye contact while listening. This shows the person your attention is on them.

Repeat important points back to the person to show them you understand. This also

gives them a chance to clarify in case you havent understood.[3]

Use phrases like "So, you mean we need to find some new clients?"
Seek feedback. Do not wait for your coworkers or bosses to give you feedback on your work. Instead,
actively seek it out. Your coworkers are valuable resources that can help you improve as a worker and team
player.

Ask your coworkers and bosses what you could be doing better to help the team or
how you can work more efficiently. Ask them: "How could my work on this have helped your do your job
better?"

Seeking feedback shows your coworkers that you care about their opinion.

Accept and act on the feedback. Sometimes feedback can hurt, but in the long run it
will help you develop as a worker and team player.
Speak your mind. Your bosses and coworkers rely on you not just to narrowly do your job, but to
contribute to the overall success of the project. Do not be afraid to speak your mind and give your opinion

on the project. Be honest.

Employers prefer workers who are willing to be assertive and who actively participate
above those who are silent, regardless of how hard they work.
Get clarification. If you do not understand something, do not be afraid to ask for clarification. Seek out the
person who can help you clarify the information and ask them directly.

Many workers fail to get their work done not out of laziness or malice, but because
they did not fully understand the work they were supposed to be doing. Make sure that you understand what
the team expects of you by getting clarification on your responsibilities when you are not completely certain.

Part2
Being a Good Team Member
Participate in group meetings and planning sessions. Offering your thoughts will keep you an active
helper in the decision-making process and show you have an interest in the team.
o
When discussing a topic at a meeting, do not assume everyone has thought of the same
problems, issues, or ideas as you. Instead, actively engage with your coworkers by sharing your ideas.
o
Your participation matters to the team. Just as you rely on your coworkers to participate, they
rely on you. By participating you are helping everyone, including yourself.
Respect your coworkers. Treat them with respect by being polite, not interrupting them, and avoiding
office gossip.
o

Be considerate of your coworkers' backgrounds.

Try to see things from your coworkers' or bosss perspectives.

Appreciate that someone with a different background than you can bring an idea to a problem
that might never have occurred to you.
Take action to solve problems. Part of being a team player is helping deal with problems and difficult
situations. Instead of passing a problematic issue off on someone else, do what you can to support coworkers

and find a solution to the problem.

o
Do not wait until someone asks you before you do something that you know needs to be
done.
o

Take the initiative and solve the problem while it is still small and before it grows into a
bigger problem that affects your team.
Compromise. As a team player, you will not always get to do things your way all the time. Be willing to

compromise on issues and take into consideration the needs of the team.
o
Consider why things might need to be done differently than you originally thought, and be
willing to change your mind.
o
Ask questions if you do not understand why someone needs you to do something differently.

"How is my current workflow hurting the team's efficiency?"

When you are willing to compromise with your coworkers, they will be more willing
to compromise with you. When you compromise, you are helping to establish that the team works with one
another rather than against one another.

Set goals and evaluate progress. Setting goals will help you and your work much more effectively.
Evaluate those goals regularly to ensure you and your team are making the progress you expect to be
making.

Discuss goals with the whole team to ensure that everyone understands what needs to
be done and knows their specific piece of the puzzle.
Review your progress toward your goal frequently. Often times, the goals or
conditions of the project will change. Consistent review will help you to avoid wasting time on things that
are not helping you achieve your goals.
Part3
Working Hard for Your Team
Be reliable. Part of being a helpful member of a team is being reliable. Show up to work on time and meet
deadlines consistently. Reliable and consistent performance will earn favor with your boss and camaraderie

from teammates.
o
Do not over promise. Be forthright about what you can and cannot actually deliver. Your
bosses and coworkers will be much happier knowing up front that they need to find another solution than if
they find out only when you have been unable to deliver on your promise.
o
Be honest. While it may feel right in the moment not to disappoint someone, you will be
hurting yourself and your team more in the long run if you make a promise you cannot keep.
Do more than you have to. If you consistently go out of your way to do more than the bare minimum, then
your coworkers will come to trust and rely on you as a coworker and teammate.
o
Be creative and come up with ideas that can help the team solve problems.
o

Consider taking on more responsibilities if you can realistically complete them, rather than
waiting for someone to ask you to do more work. Not only will you be taking the initiative and helping the
team, it will give you more influence over the type of work you are doing.
Take responsibility. Sometimes, you will fail or make a mistake. A good team player will own up to their
mistake and take action to fix it rather than blaming it on someone or something else. Sometimes things
really were out of your control, but coworkers and bosses will respect you for taking responsibility and the

initiative to fix the problem.

o
Be willing to admit you could have done something differently.
o

Admitting your mistakes will also help build your relationship with your teammates and
make them more willing to work with you.
Be flexible. Come in a little early or stay late to help meet a group goal. Being flexible with your schedule

shows willingness to do what's best for the team.

o
Be willing to adapt to the situation. Sometimes you will need to revise your plan when
conditions change.
o
When you realize something needs to change, move quickly to make the change.
o

Being flexible shows that you are able to work in varied conditions, a valuable skill in a fastpaced workplace.
Offer constructive feedback. Give a coworker constructive feedback for problems with clients or projects.
Sharing your knowledge will make you a valuable, trusted workplace team player. Approach your coworker

and ask them if they would like your help or advice with the problem they are having, in order to be
sensitive to them if they have recently failed or made a mistake.
o
Constructive criticism has to come from a place of trust and personal humility. Coworkers
will sense if you are being condescending. This will hurt both you and the team.
o
Make sure your feedback is specific and not judgmental. Your constructive criticism should
be aimed at helping the person and not at calling someone out on his or her failure.
o
Timing matters. You may want to wait before engaging with someone who has just failed at a
task, particularly in public. Wait until they have had time to become less emotional and offer them help
based on your own experience.

If you were choosing team members for a business team in your organization, who would the best team
players be? Assuming that people have the right technical skills for the work to be done, what other factors
would you use to select your team members? Teams need strong team players to perform well. But what
defines such people? Read on.
Demonstrates reliability
You can count on a reliable team member who gets work done and does his fair share to work hard and meet
commitments. He or she follows through on assignments. Consistency is key. You can count on him or her to
deliver good performance all the time, not just some of the time.
Communicates constructively
Teams need people who speak up and express their thoughts and ideas clearly, directly, honestly, and with
respect for others and for the work of the team. That's what it means to communicate constructively. Such a
team member does not shy away from making a point but makes it in the best way possible in a positive,
confident, and respectful manner.
Listens actively
Good listeners are essential for teams to function effectively. Teams need team players who can absorb,
understand, and consider ideas and points of view from other people without debating and arguing every
point. Such a team member also can receive criticism without reacting defensively. Most important, for
effective communication and problem solving, team members need the discipline to listen first and speak
second so that meaningful dialogue results.
Functions as an active participant
Good team players are active participants. They come prepared for team meetings and listen and speak up in
discussions. They're fully engaged in the work of the team and do not sit passively on the sidelines.

Team members who function as active participants take the initiative to help make things happen, and they
volunteer for assignments. Their whole approach is can-do: "What contribution can I make to help the team
achieve success?"
Shares openly and willingly
Good team players share. They're willing to share information, knowledge, and experience. They take the
initiative to keep other team members informed.
Much of the communication within teams takes place informally. Beyond discussion at organized meetings,
team members need to feel comfortable talking with one another and passing along important news and
information day-to-day. Good team players are active in this informal sharing. They keep other team
members in the loop with information and expertise that helps get the job done and prevents surprises.
Cooperates and pitches in to help
Cooperation is the act of working with others and acting together to accomplish a job. Effective team players
work this way by second nature. Good team players, despite differences they may have with other team
members concerning style and perspective, figure out ways to work together to solve problems and get work
done. They respond to requests for assistance and take the initiative to offer help.
Exhibits flexibility
Teams often deal with changing conditions and often create changes themselves. Good team players roll
with the punches; they adapt to ever-changing situations. They don't complain or get stressed out because
something new is being tried or some new direction is being set.
In addition, a flexible team member can consider different points of views and compromise when needed.
He or she doesn't hold rigidly to a point of view and argue it to death, especially when the team needs to
move forward to make a decision or get something done. Strong team players are firm in their thoughts yet
open to what others have to offer flexibility at its best.
Shows commitment to the team
Strong team players care about their work, the team, and the team's work. They show up every day with this
care and commitment up front. They want to give a good effort, and they want other team members to do the
same.
Works as a problem-solver
Teams, of course, deal with problems. Sometimes, it appears, that's the whole reason why a team is created
to address problems. Good team players are willing to deal with all kinds of problems in a solutionsoriented manner. They're problem-solvers, not problem-dwellers, problem-blamers, or problem-avoiders.
They don't simply rehash a problem the way problem-dwellers do. They don't look for others to fault, as the
blamers do. And they don't put off dealing with issues, the way avoiders do.

Team players get problems out in the open for discussion and then collaborate with others to find solutions
and form action plans.
Treats others in a respectful and supportive manner
Team players treat fellow team members with courtesy and consideration not just some of the time but
consistently. In addition, they show understanding and the appropriate support of other team members to
help get the job done. They don't place conditions on when they'll provide assistance, when they'll choose to
listen, and when they'll share information. Good team players also have a sense of humor and know how to
have fun (and all teams can use a bit of both), but they don't have fun at someone else's expense. Quite
simply, effective team players deal with other people in a professional manner.
Team players who show commitment don't come in any particular style or personality. They don't need to be
rah-rah, cheerleader types. In fact, they may even be soft-spoken, but they aren't passive. They care about
what the team is doing and they contribute to its success without needing a push.
Team players with commitment look beyond their own piece of the work and care about the team's overall
work. In the end, their commitment is about winning not in the sports sense of beating your opponent but
about seeing the team succeed and knowing they have contributed to this success. Winning as a team is one
of the great motivators of employee performance. Good team players have and show this motivation.