If you want to make meaning and change the status quo, it’s not enough to just be on the team. You must also be a team player.
Remember your 6th grade basketball team? Whether you were a starter or second string, A-team or B-team, your position on the team was extremely important.
No matter what your role is in the organization, it is essential to have these skills in order to be successful.
The best team players:
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Help teammates win
Have the back of your teammates. When one person wins, you all win. If someone is struggling to meet a deadline or stuck on a problem they just cannot solve, jump in and help. Sometimes just an outside perspective can get to the solution quicker.
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Ingrain trust
You know those plays where the point guard doesn’t even look at the person they are passing to? That’s what you want to do. You want your team mates to trust you will be there when it counts.
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Inspire each other
Inspire your teammates to push harder and further. Go out of their comfort zone. Do things they didn’t think they were capable of doing.
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Bring positivity
The Power of Positive Thinking. When someone gets a miss, stumbles, falls – help them get back up and shake it off.
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Work with intensity
Nothing is more demoralizing than busting your butt while others walk across the finish line. Work with the same intensity you expect from others.
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Are coachable
Everyone can continue to learn new things. Allow other leaders to give feedback and be appreciative of their assistance. But don’t listen just for listening’s sake – put it into action!
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Pass the ball
No one likes it when one person takes all the credit for the work of a team (a ball hog). And if you try to do everything yourself, your chances of success dwindle. You need people to help you who have complimentary skills, but they will be more likely to help if give them a chance.