In today's world it's no longer enough to be good at your job. Your promotion, your salary increase, or possibly your future in the organization may depend upon how willing and able you are to pitch in help your fellow employees with their work. Being able to wear many hats is no longer a bonus, but a necessity. How to improve your role as a team player in the office can be achieved in a number of ways.
Be there for others
One of the simplest ways to be a team player is to have a look at who seems to be overloaded with work. It may be that the person comes to the office very early, stays late or works through lunchtime. By walking up to the person and asking "Can I help you with anything?" you open the door to communication. Some people may not want to admit that they can't handle their work load, but a helping hand is seldom turned down.
When asked to help out, be willing to take on anything with a smile, no matter how big, small or boring the job. A team player never complains, and avoids using the words "I can't" or "not now."
However, there is one caution to keep in mind. While being proactive with your associates proves you are a team player, this strategy should never send the message that you don't have enough to do in your own job.
Teamwork for the good of the company
While being an eager and enthusiastic employee undoubtedly benefits a team player's career, many team players pitch in for the good of the company. They believe in their employer, they believe in the products or services they are selling, and they are savvy about the wheeling and dealing of the business.
Be willing to learn
A team player not only knows her job, she takes an interest in other people's jobs too. This kind of enthusiasm will be appreciated, and both management and colleagues alike will notice the effort. After all, you never know when someone might get sick, may want to take a vacation, or be otherwise indisposed. Having someone in the office who can take over at a moment's notice could make a big difference should your company decide to downsize their employees.
Teamwork in action
As a team player, you could also motivate others to follow your example. You could propose that training sessions be held in which groups of people can learn new skills. As an example, some people are naturally gifted at learning new technology, while others struggle not to throw their laptop or Blackberry against the wall. By introducing training sessions in the office, employees wouldn't have to take courses to learn new skills on company time away from the office.
How to improve your role as a team player will seldom be glamorous. More often than not you may be called upon to do mundane tasks such as preparing a boardroom or doing someone's dreaded filing. Every office is different, every problem is different, but the true team player will be there to get the job done.
In sports, the players know how important teamwork is in order to win the game. Around the office, teamwork is not as glamorous, but it is just as important. For the good of the company, the department, or a particular project, colleagues often have to work together. You may pride yourself on your willingness to help others, and your ability to pitch in here and there, but are you really a team player? A team player doesn't wait to be asked There may be an occasion where a colleague needs help. You, on the other hand, may have time to spare or projects with a later deadline. What do you do? Do you offer your help or do you wait to be asked? As a true team player, you will roll up your sleeves -- no matter how heavy your own workload -- when you realize that your colleague is about to drown. You may not be quite as enthusiastic about making copies or correlating documents as you would be about an important task, but a team player will be there: ready, willing and able. When the job is done, should you expect some type of payment or a returned favor? As a true team player, you will wave away any suggestion of repayment by stating that the success of the project is a team effort. Who knows, maybe next month you will be in the same position as your colleague. A team player makes sacrifices For the good of a project, you may have to forgo running off at five o'clock to meet your friends or to attend a special event. It won't make you very happy, but you may have to take a step back and let others play without you. Can you do that? Would you be willing to give up involvement in something you enjoy so that your office team can achieve their goals? If you don't take your office deadlines seriously, you could be viewed as the weakest link. Employers do not reward the weakest link on their team. A team player supports A team player will never push their own agenda. You may know that your ideas are good, but are you willing to compromise and accept the ideas of others? Everybody wants to get ahead and receive a promotion. When the time comes that someone else's idea is put to the test, are you willing to support them? Giving less than 100 percent is never an option, even if it means making a coworker shine. A team player is not a clock watcher Overtime can be a sore point. You may be willing to give it your all between regular working hours, but what about other times? Working extra hours is precisely when a team player shines. A team player will come in early, stay late, and will even work weekends or holidays should there be the need. In these competitive times when everyone is worried about losing their job, team players are becoming a rare breed. Some people are adopting the attitude that it is far more rewarding to shine as an individual than to be a small fish in a large pond. This thinking is short-sighted at best. Employees who answer "yes" to the question "Are you a team player?" will eventually be recognized and rewarded for their extra efforts. |
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