Today, most working professionals are part of a team but what qualities and characteristics actually make good team members? For starters, relate back to my accountability article and then follow through the next few steps to get a comprehensive idea on how to make them cohesive and integrated.
My biggest problem with people is usually when they start a given task and end up throwing it on other people. If someone is starting something, make it very clear from the beginning that the task needs to be followed through with responsibility and ownership from A-Z, by them.
Teams are created for several reasons. They may need to deliver a one-time project (I was constantly disappointed in university by group projects, so I’m writing this with secret spitefulness), or working together on an ongoing basis. Either way, if you take advantage of a group’s collective energy and creativity, the team can accomplish much more in less time. I love efficiency and this will always be something I strive to spread among the people I work with.
Be a Straightforward Team Player
A good team member/colleague is up front and skips playing the blame game due to their own lack of responsibility and effort. You can always count on a good team member to tell you what’s what, regardless of whether it is good news or bad news.
Share the Work
Let me be crystal clear for the people in the back. Sharing doesn’t mean throwing your own load on someone else and expecting them to clean up after your mess. A good team member does their fair share of work and has a sense of equality and fairness. A sense of even-handedness is critically important for the team’s collective motivation.
For Goodness Sake, Be Someone Reliable
A good team member can always be counted on and consistently meets deadlines, without hindering others. When you’re in charge of a team, it can be absolutely frustrating to constantly have to remind people to finish their work. I love my team, for example, because they know I don’t play when it comes to deadlines and finishing pending tasks. My style certainly does not entail nagging on anyone. The work is finished, we have a problem, period.
Always be Fair
A good team member takes appropriate credit for their own work and would never think twice of taking credit for someone else’s work. When you function like a unified and loving family who genuinely loves their job, problems like these aren’t even part of the equation. I speak from personal experience, of course.
Complementing and Supporting Your Teammate’s Skills
An important characteristic of effective team work is complementing and supporting each other’s strong suites. Every member has areas of strength and spots of weakness and that’s alright, we lift each other up.
Good Communication Skills and a Positive Outlook
Teamwork is social, so good team members need to be skilled and strategic communicators. No one wants to follow a pessimistic leader, and the same goes for team members. A positive and uplifting attitude is critical for great team work.
