Keys to Being on a Team

In whatever professional field you work, you will likely have to be a part of a team. The team's individual members are as important as the whole. Picking a member of your team should be about more than considering their technical or professional prowess, but by how they can handle a team environment and if they possess key qualities to being good team members.

  1. Communication

    • The communication among team members must be clear and direct; otherwise, if anything is misinterpreted, well-made plans can collapse, leading to a waste of valuable time. A good team member also needs to speak up when necessary with constructive comments. Being constructive means being honest and clear, while also showing respect for your teammates in a positive way. With communication, also comes being able to properly listen to your teammates and not to speak over them; take in all sides of an argument and form your own conclusions.

    Reliability

    • A good team member must be one you can count on. He must demonstrate the ability to back up his word by keeping commitments and being consistent. He must also follow through on all assignments that are given to him and finish before the deadline. He doesn't flip-flop on his decisions or get wishy-washy; he is reliable in his work all the time, not just sometimes. Also, if anything major changes, you can rely on a good team member to communicate this immediately and adjust accordingly to the changes.

    Problem-Solving

    • When team members come together, each with perhaps varying expertise in various subjects, they must solve problems. Most of the time, that is the reason teams are created, regardless of the professional field. Good team members don't approach a problem by blaming others, avoiding the problem or dwelling on it, but by immediately trying to think of solutions. Teams must openly and honestly discuss their problems to reach a solution everyone agrees is the best route of action.

    Respect

    • Team members must support and understand each other. Even if two or more members don't necessarily get along with each other personally, they must come together and respect each other to get the job done right; a good team member can get beyond personality issues to the job at hand, as well as eliminate bias based on gender, race and age. The key is to care about the job being done and how your team can help take care of it.