5 Tips for Being a Team Player

The idea of being a "team player" is such a cliché. It's like one of those corporate buzz words that gets thrown around so much, people forget what it actually means. And yet, everyone considers themselves one. In interviews, it's the first thing candidates will say - "I'm a real team player." But strangely enough, a lot of people aren't.

So what makes someone a team player? It isn't just about doing your job well. It's a mindset - an overall belief that what's good for the team is equally (or more) important than your own individual goals. Consider the following 5 tips and ask yourself: Am I really a team player?

1. Offer Assistance to Co-Workers

Team players see their co-workers struggling and offer to help. You never hear a team player say those dreaded words, "That's not my job." If they can help get something done, they will. Of course, this shouldn't come at the expense of your own job duties. But a true team player is willing to make some occasional sacrifices to help keep teammates from getting overburdened. They understand that they are just one part of the whole. If you focus solely on just doing your job and ignore the needs of your teammates, the whole group will suffer. Team players know this.

2. Keep the Company Vision in Mind

Being a team player means that you understand (and believe in) the overall goals of the company. Your job is just a small part of achieving the company's vision. If you don't buy into what your company is selling, you'll never be a team player. You have to have the desire to see the company succeed. A team player understands that their success is dependent on the success of the company as a whole.

3. Be Willing to Compromise

If you're trying to be a team player you have to be flexible. A team player never says, "It's my way or the highway." Compromise is a requirement. In a team environment, everyone has a voice. Share your thoughts and opinions freely but listen to others as well. Allow yourself to be persuaded by good ideas and don't get too attached to your own. If someone has convincing reasons why your ideas don't work, you have to be able to hear them. And realize that you may have to make some sacrifices. If you're outnumbered and everyone else wants to go in a different direction, you'll have to suck it up and jump on board with them. Fight for what you believe in but know when to accept the decision of the group and go with it. If the decision is one you simply can't get behind, you need to reconsider your position on the team.

4. Take One for the Team

Every once in a while, something comes along - a certain job or task - that no one wants to do. I'm sure you've experienced this. Every office has one - that thing that just annoys everyone. Whether it's changing the toner in the copier, cleaning the break room or handling a difficult customer, it can bring down the whole group as people try to pawn it off on one another. A true team player will recognize when it's their turn to take it for the team. They'll put aside their personal preferences and do the task that no one else wants to do. Sure, it's not a good idea to always do this - after all, everyone should take one for the team once in a while. But when it's your turn, don't complain about it. Just recognize that it's part of being on the team.

5. Share the Glory

A team player understands that success is not the result of an individual effort. It's a team achievement. When you score a big win, share the glory with your team. Everyone should celebrate one another's accomplishments. Share credit where credit is due and don't be afraid of letting others know you had the help of your entire team. You know it had to be said at some point: remember that there's no "I" in "team". It's always a group effort.