By Michael Mustradi
There is no better feeling than when a team comes together and fires on all cylinders. Most of the time, great sports teams, such as the World Champion ’96 Chicago Bulls, come to mind when thinking about excellent teamwork. However, teamwork is what drives both individuals and companies to success in the workplace. Even though it is not always easy to be a team player, the advantages of meshing like a team can make life (and work) more tolerable and much more fun.
In order to be an affective teammate, you must know your skills or strengths and use them to your advantage. For example, if organization is your strongpoint, be the one to keep the team organized and on track. Not only will this make it easy on you since you are playing your strengths, you will feel like you have an important role on the team.
Also, being a communicator helps a team immensely. A team that does not have open communication will not be as successful as one that does. This doesn’t mean you have to be talking nonstop and speaking up when you shouldn’t. Asking quality questions, challenging your teammates, and discussing possible solutions to any encountered problems are crucial to affective communication. With communication, comes reliability. If you say you are going to do something, you better get it done.
If a teammate is pushed for time and is trying to meet a deadline, step up to the plate and help him/her out. Then, when you are pushed for time (which you will be), he/she will remember your help and give it right back to you. This brings up an important point: flexibility. Being on a team does not mean tasks will get completed on your own time. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a night out with friends to meet with the group and be productive. Not everyone has the same schedule so being flexible will help the team continue to meet deadlines and increase the likelihood of success.
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