Monday, April 9, 2012

How to Become a Good Team Member


In almost every walk of life, there is a need to function as a part of a team – whether it’s at home with family members, in school or college or at work with colleagues. Just as a pearl necklace breaks into pieces even if one pearl in the string breaks, a team too becomes non-functional even if one member in the team fails to perform.

Working in a team calls for a certain degree of discipline and commitment. Only when all the members of a team work in complete harmony with one another, can a team function well and meet its objectives.

How to Become an Efficient and Responsible Team Player?

  •   Know your Responsibilities – As a team member, you must understand your responsibilities towards your team and take full charge of that task. Remember, as a team player, you are answerable to other members of your team for the success or failure of your task.
  • Learn to Adapt – Change is the only constant in life. Hence, you must possess the skill to adapt to fast changing situations and function well in all scenarios.
  • Participate actively in all Team Activities – Make an effort to be actively involved in all team activities, be it brainstorming and generation of new ideas, discussions on future plans and implementation of these plans.
  • Prove your Commitment – As a team member, you will get numerous opportunities to prove your 100% commitment towards the team and contribute positively to the success of your team. Don’t let any of these opportunities pass you by.
  • Learn to Listen to & Cooperate with others – The very word “Team” refers to a group of people with complimentary skills, working together to achieve a common goal. As a dependable team player, you must possess the ability to listen to other peoples’ point of view even if it is different from your own and reach the best decision possible.
  • Team’s Best Interest at Heart – Be loyal to your team come what may. Your goals should match the team’s goals and objectives. Only then can your team become successful.