How and Why to Be a Team Player (Even When No One Else Is)

The Team Player Problem

There are many reasons to be skeptical of the term team player. "Be a team player" is one of the most abused phrases in business. Most of the time, what it really means is, "Shut up and go along with everyone." Many team members manipulate the meaning of "teamwork" to fit their own ends. And most so-called business "teams" aren't really teams in the scientific sense.

Yet organizations that promote true teamwork win for their customers and their bottom lines. To do so, they must define a team player according to the characteristics of a high performance team:

• Makes sacrifices to help other team members.
• Volunteers for team tasks and does them as promised.
• Praises and actively supports other members.
• Disagrees openly with the team without making personal attacks.
• Freely admits mistakes as soon as they are made.
• Keeps disagreements within the team, or seeks outside help only with the team's knowledge.
• Shares information easily.

Fulfilling the Promise

Even if your work group is not a true team and colleagues do not cooperate with you, there are good reasons for you to be a team player anyway. Doing so raises your influence, odds of getting help when needed, performance ratings, and ability to get your next job or promotion.

This 75-minute to half-day class details the individual skills needed to improve a team member's ratings for teamwork skills:

• Altruistic and selfish reasons to be a true team player.
• The paradoxes of team membership.
• Behaviors and informal roles to adopt.

The class uses frequent exercises to provide team members the tools they need and motivation to use them. Contact TeamTrainers right away today to start making things better for yourself and your team.