Most companies have known the value of teamwork and practiced it to succeed. It has worked and it is magical. Colleagues who tend to think that they possess all the knowledge or skills because they probably want to prove that they are at the top of the game, have it wrong. It is recommended that for any one or any business to grow, working together as a team is very valuable. Failing to share what you know with others, whether information, resources, or knowledge, hinders others from growing. It also limits the company’s rate of growth. Team players should offer help or solutions to other team members. They also ought to respect boundaries of their positions and not assume that their ideas are the best, but rather listen to other members of the team and find the best options. Jai Essence an entrepreneur says that to be a great team player, you have to find a skill that is set and invaluable. Something that is indebted that you can do better than anyone else, which you can take and grow. With time, you’re vital to the team. “It is just like a car, if you miss any part or screw, the entire engine can go down and the purpose of the car is no more. Be aggressive, get a class, learn something new, because when you prove that you have a unique skill, your team will benefit and the whole company,” she says. Essence adds that great team players understand the value of each person and their personality. They learn people for who they are, their strengths and how to personalise that to create a strong team and let people flourish in their strengths to build a stronger unit. Jean Pierre Gahigi, a communications specialist notes that valuable team players should focus on solving any issue that arises between their colleagues in person but not engage in work politics because being nicknamed an office gossipmonger is embarrassing and it may cost you friends. Perhaps, people may even lose trust in you. He carries on that valuable team members are those who celebrate the success of the team together. They don’t just put themselves in the spotlight as the ones that led the team to success, but rather, give credit to whoever stood out in any project; they accentuate the team, not themselves. “Appreciated team players should adapt to any situation. In case something doesn’t work out as expected, don’t just sit back and throw a pity party. Be flexible and look for a solution in case of unexpected problems and find other options than focusing on what hasn’t worked, because negativity will just hinder you from trying out new things,” Gahigi says. He carries on that valuable team players ought to be reliable by giving their best at every task, meeting deadlines, and reporting to work on time. It is a good impression to the bosses and fellow employees and even makes it easy to approach you in case they need any help with certain tasks. The communications specialist adds that to err is human but one must own their shortcomings. “Say sorry to your bosses and your team members, it is just a sign of maturity and will even earn you respect. Once you accept your error, it’s high time you sought solutions on how to avoid the same problem in the future.” He notes that respected team players accept conflicts as normal, in case their bosses or team members don’t agree with them on a certain issue; they listen to them and even accept to hear others’ points of view because they may be better than theirs. You don’t have to be right or have the best ideas all the time.
