Dear Joanna,
One of the biggest challenges that I am facing today at my workplace is working in a team. As a Business Analyst, I am constantly involved in complicated projects working with different types of employees from various professionals and departments.
How can I become a great team player yet be able to do my work and meet my deadlines?
Signed: Becoming a team player
Dear BTP
According to Michelle Edmunds, Founder and Job Search/Industry Coach at Focus Industry Consulting as well as Employer Outreach and Placement Coordinator at Ryerson University, The Chang School (Middle-level Managers program), employers value staff who are helpful and easy to get along (i.e. good team players) over and above those with better technical skills.
Here are some suggestions for becoming a “great team player” as you requested:
1. Humility is a prerequisite for working together or “unity”.
One of the fundamental traits is the ability to acknowledge your mistakes and take responsibility for your actions (for better or for worse). Understanding your strengths and your limitations are key. Ask for help. Share the credit for your successes: “I couldn’t have done it without Dave doing the data entry“.
2. Pay attention and listen to what is important to others.
Pass along information that you find valuable, which might benefit the employees in the group. Listen and learn what other people do on the team and what they like to do. Ask questions that people will want to respond to, as a way to get to know them. This is a great way to build professional relationships with the individuals which helps you become a great team player.
3. Celebrate others’ accomplishments.
Praise co-workers for what they did well or for positive qualities you see in them. Make the compliment meaningful by explaining why you liked what they did. For example, “Thank you for being patient with me today. Now I understand the new database because you explained it so well.”
4. Offer your time.
Volunteer to help people on your team with something they are having trouble with or to handle a task that no one likes to do.
5. Stay away from gossip.
Do not tell co-workers when you hear something bad about them at work or something good that someone else says. If you have a positive experience first-hand with the co-worker, then you can praise them (see #3). Engaging in in-office gossip can never be a good thing – your colleagues will wonder what you are saying about them behind your back and may even start nasty rumours.
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