Be A Wonderful Team Player
Let others help you
One of the biggest pitfalls many people fall into is a need to have all of the answers. Helping others is great, however allowing others to help you is just as important. By opening up to your colleagues you can become more authentic, more approachable and benefit from their knowledge.
Focus on shared interests
Team members who work with others to achieve shared tasks get things done. Focusing on shared responsibilities not just individual tasks shows you have a good attitude and allows you to build credibility, reputation and personal power.
Listen to others
Sometimes we focus too much on what action we should take rather than how we make people feel. One of the most powerful gifts we can give another human being is to truly see them – and the best way to do this is to listen to them.
Cultivate the Genius in others
Most of us have been trained to focus on our success rather than to help others succeed. Yet this shift in mindset to focus outward is the skill most leaders need to be better team players. If you spend your time cultivating the genius in others rather than needing to be the genius yourself you will find people will gravitate towards you.
Make yourself a reward
According to neuroscience when our brain signals rewards in front of us we have positive emotions so we listen, understand, collaborate and solve problems. When we see dangers we have negative emotions that tell us to stay away. So make yourself a ‘reward’ for your work colleagues by treating everyone fairly and respectfully.
Use your ‘followership’ skills
The aptitudes and attitude needed to work in a team are often assumed to be within everyone’s capabilities. But that is not so. Teams made up of ‘alpha’ types don’t function well. Consider whether it is time for you to use your ‘followship’ rather than your ‘leadership’ skills.
Lead with best intentions
Regardless of your role in the workplace, one thing that helps to enhance camaraderie, communication and collaboration is engaging with the best intentions. Always look at the whole of your work colleagues and all the things they bring to the team. Engaging with best intentions helps strengthen relationships which is key to every successful team.
Share your gifts
You have strengths and skills that come naturally. Share these gifts freely, a job that will take you five minutes to complete may save a fellow team member a whole day’s worth of work and frustration. Nothing builds trust and connection like helping someone out of a challenging situation.
Volunteer to do dirty jobs
Don’t ever avoid doing dirty or unpopular jobs. If there is washing up to do, rubbish to be taken out, a huge pile of filing to be completed or a nasty phone call to be made to a client where you are letting the client down be brave and do the jobs no-one else wants, this will immediately earn you respect and people will like you for it.
Spread positivity
Positivity allows for creativity and innovation. Give energy rather than drain other peoples energy. See an opportunity, not a problem. Look for what’s right, not what’s wrong. Acknowledge people rather than gossiping about them. Stay away from judging things as good or bad – simply acknowledge they are different and move forward. Smile and watch the smiles multiply.
So to summarise getting on with your work colleagues is important and to some extent crucial to your happiness and success at work. It takes an effort to be a good team player but believe me it will definitely make your work life more enjoyable.
Good Luck
Angela Burton
