From kindergarten all
the way to retirement and beyond, most of us have to deal with team work. I
remember at university, every time a professor announced a new assignment half
of the class would quickly ask if they could do the work as a team while others
– like me – stared them down and wished they could throw fire darts out of their
eyes so the others wouldn’t give the professor any ideas.
It’s not that I didn’t
like team work, but rather that I have a knack for pairing up with people who don’t
have the same priorities or work ethics as my own. For example, it’s
unacceptable to make your team wait an hour for you because ‘your flatmate was
taking a shower’. It’s unacceptable that you couldn’t hand in your part of the
work because your grandma died… for the fourth time. It’s ABSOLUTELY
unacceptable to give my part of the work to one of your friends in the class
just to help them out to then find out that your friend plagiarised my part of
the work and that I’M in trouble.
In other words, I’ve
had pretty bad experiences with team work, but when I do find someone who demonstrates
the following qualities identified
by the ‘For Dummies’ series, boy do we deliver the best product.
The best team player:
1.
Demonstrates
reliability. You say it, you do it.
2.
Communicates
constructively. Don’t be shy to share your thoughts, but find a way of
doing it respectfully and making a positive contribution!
3.
Listens
actively. All good to make a point and give your opinion, but your
teammates probably have their word to
say as well. Be ready to take criticism without being defensive.
4.
Functions
as an active participant. If you’re there, be all there. Don’t be a passive
slug that shows up to a meeting, doesn’t engage, contribute or even listen to
what’s going on. Wake up.
5.
Shares
openly and willingly. Share experience, knowledge, information and stories.
Don’t keep relevant things to yourself and help keep your team in the loop.
6.
Cooperates
and pitches in to help. Cooperation means you work with others. Don’t micromanage your colleagues and – on the other
end of the spectrum – don’t be shy to put your hand up and contribute to the
work.
7.
Exhibits
flexibility. Life happens and you have to understand and accept that your
peers may have things come up. Don’t whine or freak out because the plan won’t
go EXACTLY as you had expected. Flexibility means that you have to be able to work
around unexpected events, but it also means that you have to be flexible in
your opinion. If you and your teammates have different opinions, figure out how
to meet halfway.
8.
Shows
commitment to the team. To be a good teammate, you have to care about your
work and show that you care about it. No one likes someone who’s too laid back
or too indifferent.
9.
Works as
a problem-solver. The good team player will be a problem-solver, not a
problem-maker.
10.
Treats
others in a respectful and supportive manner. Consistently. Not just when
you feel like it. It’s the golden rule: treat other the way you want to be
treated. Offer the support you would want and expect in return.
If you want to be that
person that everyone turns when a new team project is announced, make sure to
follow these tips. If you prefer not following our advice and want to take
example on that girl I erased from my contact list as soon as the final thesis
was over, well congratulations! You’ve just been branded the worst team player.
Although
Alexandra didn’t know much about conference production before first coming
across this opportunity with Akolade, she has quickly become passionate about
her job. Gaining in-depth knowledge in a variety of new fields without going
through exam stress? Who could ask for more? If ever you speak to Alexandra and
wonder what that funny accent is, it is from Quebec, French-speaking Canada. Do
not hesitate to ask Alexandra about her former life on the 47th parallel; she
will be thrilled to talk to you about snow storms, skiing and -35⁰c!
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