It can often be difficult to identify what qualities are present in a successful team member. You may know that they are successful on your team, but what makes them successful? Having these teamwork qualities in addition to team work skills can improve team building and make a team stronger in its day to day functions. So what are some of these qualities, how can you identify them, and how can you encourage them within a team? Read on to see answers to all these questions and how you as a manager can use them to improve your team.
Qualities to Look For In an Effective Team Member:
1. Flexible:
Changes on a team or project can be quick and unpredictable. By being flexible any member of the team can adjust to those changes and make sure that the team continues to run smoothly. This is often a difficult quality to find. Many people thrive in consistency, but if you can find, teach, and foster flexibility within your team you will have a stronger team overall.
2. Respectful:
This one should seem obvious, but is often overlooked. A team works best when everyone is treated with respect and treats others with respect in return. Without respect, a team will falter and fail.
3. Committed to the Team:
Work should not be the only thing a person has in their lives, but when at work they should be committed to the team. They should be ready, available, and willing to help out during working hours to ensure the team is successful and their work lives are fulfilling.
4. Active Listener and Good Communicator:
Communication skills are a must in a team. A team member who is a respectful listener and effective communicator is invaluable. You can tell when a team member is engaged in the process by how they listen and pay attention as well as how they share their own ideas and progress to the rest of the team.
5. Recognize and Apologize When They Make A Mistake:
This quality is rare. Many people are so worried about being criticized or getting in trouble that they will often blame other things for mistakes. When someone is able to own up to their mistakes with humility and the willingness to correct it, they maintain the integrity of the team.
How To Identify These Qualities In A Team:
The first step to identifying these qualities is to observe your team on a regular basis doing their typical work. Meetings, emails, and group chats are a great way to monitor the team and see who has which qualities. You will also be able to discover what your team is lacking and where efforts need to be made to improve.
Once you have identified the strengths and weaknesses in your team you can work to reinforce the positive qualities and weed out the less helpful ones through team building activities.
How To Strengthen These Qualities On A Team:
The best way to strengthen the qualities you desire for a team is through team building. Using activities and get togethers to reveal, test, and enhance those qualities. These can be virtual or in-person. Virtual team building activities are a great way to accommodate remote teams that are spread over large distances or to fit things into busy schedules because it does not require any commuting. You might explore doing a different type of activity every few months or so in order to keep things fresh and exciting. Different activities will also reveal and explore different qualities. Escape rooms, scavenger hunts, and other friendly competitive games can all be a great way for a team to bond, strengthen their team work, and enhance the qualities you desire for your whole team.