The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player - A Book Summary
A follow-up companion reader to The 17 Indisputable Laws of
Teamwork, here is a clear character profile of the ideal Team
Player. Maxwell stresses some main qualities of a good team
player: intentional, or she is focused on the big picture,
relational, focused on others, selfless, willing to take a
backseat for the good of the team, and tenacious - works hard to
overcome obstacles, no matter what.
1. Adaptable: If you won't change for the team, the team may
change youTeam players who are most likely to become adaptable
possess the following characteristics: a) they are highly
teachable; b) they are emotionally secure; c) they are creative;
and, d) they are service-minded individuals.
To achieve such characteristic, the following are recommended:
a) get into the habit of learning; b) reevaluate your role on
the team; and, c)think outside the lines.
2. Collaborative: Working together precedes winning together
Collaboration is the key word when it comes to meeting
challenges as a team. Cooperation is merely working together
agreeably, but collaborating means working together more
aggressively. Every team player must bring something more to the
table, and not just put in his minimum required work.
A collaborative team player needs to change in four key areas:
a) Perception; b) Attitude; c) Focus; and, d) Results
3. Committed: There are no halfhearted champions Commitment
usually is discovered in the midst of adversity. Committed
people don't surrender easily. It does not depend on gifts or
abilities. Rather, it is the result of choice. Commitment lasts
when it's based on values. If it's something you believe in,
it's easier to keep.
To improve the level of commitment, one must:
- Tie commitments to values. - Take a risk. - Evaluate
teammates' commitment.
4. Communicative: A team is many voices with a single
heartCommunicative team players do not isolate themselves from
others; make it easy for teammates to communicate with them;
follow the twenty-four hour rule; give attention to potentially
difficult relationships; and, follow up important communication
in writing. To improve communication one is expected to: a) be
candid; b) be quick; and, c) be inclusive.
5. Competent: If you can't, your team won't Competent does not
mean simply having adequate skills to perform a job. It means
the individual must be highly qualified to do the job well. To
improve the level of competence, one must: a) focus yourself
professionally; b) sweat the small stuff; c) give more attention
to implementation.
6. Dependable: Teams go to Go-To players
The essence of dependability:
- Pure motives. If there are no hidden agendas the team will
make progress. - The ability to take on responsibility. The team
player must want the ball and be able to sink it in the basket
and score. - Sound thinking and good judgment, when it counts. -
Consistent contribution, no matter how tired, overwhelmed or
distracted, you must be able to deliver.
To improve dependability one must: a) check your motives; b)
discover what your word is worth.; and, c) find someone to hold
you accountable.
7. Disciplined: Where there's a will, there's a win Discipline
is doing what you really don't want to do, so that you can do
what you really want to do. It means paying the price so you can
have the reward later. To become the kind of players teams want,
people must develop discipline in three areas.
- Disciplined thinking. Keep your mind active, and always think
about the right things. - Disciplined emotions. Either you
master your emotions, or be mastered by them. - Disciplined
actions. Action separates the winners from the losers. When
people act on what they must do, it is for the benefit of all
those on the team.
8. Enlarging Adding value to teammates is invaluable
Team members love a player who is able to inspire them to become
more successful. Team players who enlarge their teammates share
common characteristics:
- Enlargers value their teammates. - Enlargers value what their
teammates value. - Enlargers add value to their teammates. -
Enlargers make themselves more valuable.
How do we become Enlargers?
- Believe in others before they believe in you. - Serve others
before they serve you. - Add value to others before they add
value to you.
Point out your teammates' strengths, encourage and motivate them
out of their comfort zone, but within their gift zone.
9. Enthusiastic: Your heart is the source of energy for the team
People who bring an enthusiastic attitude to teamwork often.
- Take responsibility for their own enthusiasm. - Act their way
into feeling. The only way to begin is simply to begin! -
Believe in what they are doing. - Spend time with enthusiastic
people. Enthusiasm is contagious.
To improve enthusiasm, one must: - Show a sense of urgency. - Be
willing to do more. - Strive for excellence.
10. Intentional: Make every action count Being intentional means
working with a strong sense of purpose. Successful individuals
are never scattered and haphazard. They have a clear reason why
they are doing what they are doing. For a team to be successful,
it needs intentional people who are focused and productive, the
kind of people who can make every action count.
11. Mission conscious: The Big Picture is coming in loud and
clear.The four qualities of mission-conscious team players are
the ff:
- They know where the team is going. - They let the leader of
the team lead. - They place team accomplishment ahead of their
own. - They do whatever is necessary to achieve the mission.
To improve mission consciousness you must: - Check to see if
your team focuses on its mission. - Find ways to keep the
mission in mind. - Contribute your best as a team member.
12. Prepared: Preparation can mean the difference between
winning and losing To be a more prepared team, think about the
following: a) assessment; b) alignment; c) attitude; and, d)
action.
To improve preparedness you must: a) become a process thinker;
b) do more research; and, c) learn from your mistakes.
13. elational: If you get along, others will go along Teams want
people who are relational. Look for the following in your team
relationships: a) respect; b) Shared experiences; c) Trust; d)
Reciprocity; and, e) mutual enjoyment.
To better relate to your teammates you must: a) focus on others
instead of yourself; b) ask the right questions; c) share common
experiences; and, d) make others feel special.
14. Self-improving: To improve the team, improve yourself People
who are constantly improving themselves make three processes an
ongoing cycle in their lives: Preparation, Contemplation, and
Application.
To become self-improving you must: a) become highly teachable;
b) plan your progress; c) value self-improvement above
self-promotion.
15. Selfless: There is no "I" in team As a team member, how do
you cultivate an attitude of selflessness?
- Be generous. - Avoid internal politics. - Display loyalty. -
Value interdependence over independence.
To become more selfless.
- Promote someone other than yourself. - Take a subordinate
role. - Give secretly, without the other team members knowing.
16. Solution-oriented: Make a resolution to find the solution
Your personality type, upbringing and personal history affect
how solution-oriented you are naturally. Anyone can become
solution-oriented. Solution oriented people recognize these
truths: - Problems are a matter of perspective. - All problems
are solvable. - Problems either stop us or stretch us.
To make yourself a solution-oriented team player, you must: a)
refuse to give up; b) refocus your thinking; c) rethink your
strategy; and, d) repeat the process.
17. Tenacious: Never, never, never quit Being tenacious means
giving all that you've got, 100% not more than you have. It has
something to do with working with determination, not waiting on
destiny. Tenacious people do not rely on luck, fate, or destiny
for their success. When conditions become difficult, they keep
working. Quitting when the job is done, not when you're tired.
Push yourself beyond what you think you are capable of.
To improve your tenacity, you must: a) work harder or smarter;
b) stand for something c) make your work a game.
Key thoughts:
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because characte is what you really are, while your reputation
is merely what others think you are." -John Wooden, college
basketball coach
"Although they only give gold medals in the field of athletics,
I encourage everyone to look into themselves and find their own
personal dream, whatever that may be - sports, medicine, law,
business, music, writing, whatever. The same principles apply.
Turn your dream into a goal and learn how to attack that goal
systematically. Break it into bite-size chunks that seem
possible, and then don't give up. Just keep plugging away." -
John Naber, swimmer, four-time Olympic Gold Medalist
By: Regine Azurin Regine Azurin is the President of
BestSummaries.com, a company that provides book summaries of the
latest motivational, inspirational, self-help and personality
development bestsellers. http://www.bestsum.com Free Book
Summaries of Top Self-help, Motivational and Inspirational books
Mailto: freearticle@bestsum.com BestSummaries is a
BestSummaries.com service. (c) Copyright 2004, BestSummaries.com