What qualities make a good team player at work?

“I see this opportunity as a way to contribute to an exciting/forward-thinking/fast-moving company/industry, and I feel I can do so by/with my … ” “I feel my skills are particularly well-suited to this position because … ”

“I understand and appreciate the fact that a team environment is both productive and efficient. I have the ability to compromise, show respect to others and listen to the needs of my teammates. While I can be a leader when necessary, I can also play an equal role on the team when the situation merits.”

• Flexibility. Collaboration is all about compromise—and flexibility.
• Active listening. Collaboration often evokes feelings of sociability and shared ideas.
• Problem-solving.
• Effective communication.
• Positive attitude.

They have your back While our work lives are probably not as dramatic, team mates tend to stick up for each other, cover during periods of absence and help out in busy times. They support you when you make mistakes, they encourage you to meet your goals.

Teamwork means that people will try to cooperate, using their individual skills and providing constructive feedback, despite any personal conflict between individuals.” Teamwork is selfless.

Promotes a Wider Sense of Ownership Tackling obstacles and creating notable work together makes team members feel fulfilled. Working toward achieving company goals allows employees to feel connected to the company. This builds loyalty, leading to a higher level of job satisfaction among employees.

10 benefits of teamwork

• Great ideas don’t come from lone geniuses.
• Diverse perspectives help you come up with winning innovations.
• Teamwork can make you happier.
• When you work in a team, you grow as an individual.
• Sharing the workload eases burnout.
• Dividing the work lets you grow your skills.

Thriving teams listen and learn Successful teams tend to be successful because they’re more than a bunch of individuals who happen to be working together; their relationships, their direction and their ways of working and collaborating together mean that the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

Good teamwork means a synergistic way of working with each person committed and working towards a shared goal. Teamwork maximises the individual strengths of team members to bring out their best.

What are roles and responsibilities? Roles refer to one’s position on a team. Responsibilities refer to the tasks and duties of their particular role or job description. Employees are held accountable for completing several tasks in the workplace.

Regardless of the industry-specific knowledge and skills necessary on a given team, there are four major roles a person can play: Champion, Creator, Facilitator, or Implementer. Your role is determined by a combination of your thinking style (divergent vs. convergent) and your work orientation (people or tasks).

The definition of a role is a part or character someone performs or the function or position of a person. An example of a role is the character of the nurse in Romeo and Juliet. An example of a role is doing accounting for a business. A part, or character, that an actor plays in a performance.

Figure 1: Belbin’s Team Roles

Shared responsibility is created when team members:

• Commit to completing tasks allocated to them and assist others to meet deadlines.
• Take an interest in the work performed by other team members and share relevant information freely.
• Focus on solving problems rather than placing blame on others.

Team leaders are responsible for training team members, setting strategy and monitoring progress towards goals. Good leaders should have strong communication, problem solving, organizational and delegation skills. Team leaders can typically grow into managers and eventually senior leadership.