7 Vital Characteristics of a Good Team Player ...

Obviously one of the first characteristics of a good team player is reliability. You need people you can trust. You need people you can count on. If someone is reliable then you know they will do the work that needs to be done and do it to the best of their ability. Why wouldn't you want someone you can count on to be on your team?

Part of working in a group is effective communication. If you and the members of your team can communicate well, there will be a lot less confusion. I’m sure you will agree that confusion does not help a team succeed. If you are putting together a team look for people that know how to communicate well.

Of course being able to express thoughts clearly isn’t enough. You may have a team of people who all know how to speak, but if you don’t have anyone that knows how to listen then you are in big trouble. Your team members should also know how to listen well. Listening is an important part of communication, but sometimes we can talk better than we can listen.

I want people on my team that are flexible. Sometimes plans change. Sometimes rules change. I need people that can roll with the punches and not get bent out of shape because things change. Do you know someone that is good at being flexible and going with the current? I actually think this is one of my best qualities.

Are you a problem-solver? Can you look at a situation and figure out a solution? Even better, can you look at a problem and come up with multiple solutions? A team needs to have people that can think quickly and find solutions. Having multiple problem-solvers on a team is great.

You want the members of your team to be supportive. As a team you need to build each other up with encouragement and support. An effective team will have supportive members, not people who try to destroy others. I couldn't imagine being on a team that constantly put me down and never supported my ideas.

Sometimes things get tough. You may want to give up, but if you want to be on my team I need to know that you are in it 100 percent. I don’t have time for quitters and you shouldn’t either. Being a committed team player means that you stick with your team through thick and thin. If you want to quit when things get tough than find another team, because there is no room for you here.

If you use these 7 vital characteristics of a good team player as a guideline for choosing the right people to be on your team you should see success and growth. What are some other things you look for in a team player?