Being a team member is not as marginally insignificant as it used to be. The value of a team member is not seen in the same way in modern business as in the past. Because of this change in perspective, anyone assigned to be a member of a project or a team player cannot think that he or she can just sit back and let the others do the bulk of the work.
For any contemporary project, each member of a team is chosen and assigned for a very good reason, usually for expertise or work experience. The team leader may have the lion’s share of responsibility, but every team player has an important role to play. Everyone is expected to share and participate actively to the best of his or her ability. In the workplace, whether a team is assigned to a project for a long time or just a short period, there are essential social behaviors that every team player must observe for a smooth transition from a group of strangers to a unified and functional team.
The team as a unit of success
Modern employers have changed their job requirements in order to adapt to the paradigm shift brought on by the change in job requirements. These days, teamwork is so important that there are even employers who include “must be a team player” in the job description. Innovations and creative outputs are best done by a team that is effective in analyzing and working ideas out as a unit. The faster they come up with an output, the better it is for the company. And this means that the more efficient a team is, the more competitive any enterprise can become.
How to behave as a team player
When people get together to form a group, there are certain social niceties that they need to undergo as they interact. For some groups, the initial awkwardness and anxieties are resolved in no time and they eventually become a group of friends. For others, innate differences may not be overcome at all and for this reason, the group does not get along as well as others.
Every member must be open to accepting the other members’ ethnicity, gender, and age. Initial interactions must be free of judgment, prejudice, ill-will, or personal criticism. All judgment and criticism must be in the context of work-related issues and must be presented only when called for. That goes for advice, too. Unsolicited advice does not sit well with some people. Similarly, one must hold back on making hasty assumptions. When there is a need, a team member must be ready to cover for others, and provide the necessary support in times of crisis. Should conflict arise, this must be handled promptly and diplomatically. Most importantly, respect and motivation must be given to each member of the team not just by the team leader, but also by each member.
When each member observes these behaviors the team’s success is only to be expected. Anyone fortunate enough to be chosen to become part of a group that just might come up with an important idea and innovation must realize early on why it is worth to make the effort to become a team player.
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