How To Be a Great Team Player: It's Easier than You Think

I'm encouraged by the number of people who ask how to be a great team player.

The interest in this topic indicates two things: people want to contribute to their teams, and people are willing to make changes so they will contribute to their teams. There's good news for anyone who's ever asked how to be a great team player: It's easy!

To be a great team player, all you have to do is this one simple thing. It's just a behavioral choice, one that everybody is capable of. You can already do this one thing, and you can do it well. If you choose to do it.

The one thing that makes you a a great team player is this: Give.

See? You Already Know How to Be a Great Team Player... You Were Just Hoping It Was a Different Answer

Give.

• Give other team members your full attention and dedicated listening.
• Give your time to the team instead of thinking of the team as a drain on your time.
• Give your ideas and input. Don't hold back.
• Give your commitment and honor it.
• Give other team members all the same courtesies you expect so they, too, can give to the team.

It really is that simple. When every member of the team gives, teams thrive. Even better is when the workplace is also giving to the team -- if you missed last week's blog post about that, click here.

Give. Don't wait for others to give first. You can set the example and show them how to be a great team player.