Showcasing one’s individuality and uniqueness at the work place is extremely important to get noticed. However, doing so by being an excellent team player is even better.
Teamwork in achieving different goals at work helps in bringing out the best ideas and accomplishing much more than you could alone. Being a team player means being open to all ideas emerging from the team and working in harmony to complete the tasks. Functioning as a part of a group gives you an opportunity to showcase your skills and professional qualities to you co-workers.
Teamwork can help you develop leadership skills and is important for your individual growth at work as well. Working in a group can be conflicting for many, making them look like a bad team player. If you are struggling to get noticed in a positive light as a team player, here are some strategies you can adopt to develop the skills to be an excellent team player.
Flexibility
Being flexible and adapting to diverse situations quickly is one of the most common characteristic of a team player. Be ready to change roles or revise action plans when you are met with obstacles. Every plan for achieving your set goals may not be fail-proof; learn to quickly pick yourself and the team up after meeting a dead end in a project
Reliability
When you are part of a team, everyone in the team has one or more responsibilities. Be a member who meets deadlines and offers the best quality of work possible. Being consistent in getting the work done is a good indicator of reliability in an employee and is beneficial for the team as well as the employees.
Be Open to All Ideas and Working Styles
Learn to respect the differences in opinions and working styles to become a great team player. Develop your listening skills and give feedback for inputs in a constructive manner. However, this does not mean you don’t put forward your ideas. Develop different ways of communicating to each of the members based on their working style.
Do Not Take Undue Credit
Celebrating each other’s achievements in a team is an important factor that builds trust. When something done by the team is appreciated, do not jump in and take the credit for something you have not done. Doing so can spoil the rapport you have created with the members of your team. Not just that, recognising and displaying the individual achievements of your team members will also encourage them to do so for you in the future.
Be Ready to Step out of Your Comfort Zones
While each team member is allocated specific responsibilities according to their abilities and skillset, do not be afraid to venture into new areas, if required, to achieve the team’s goals. This shows openness to challenges.
Adopt Transparency
When working on a common goal, it is always good to keep the other team members informed of any new actions you may be taking or any new ideas you may have got. Do not make any stealthy moves just to impress your manager.
Your personality does not have to fall into specific category to make you a notable team player. All you need to do is participate with 100% commitment as a member of the team and be pro-active in getting the work done even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.
