What do you look for when hiring: someone who prefers to work on their own or someone who can work in a team? Today, the ideal candidate is someone who can do both: have the initiative, confidence, and independence to work on their own, but has no problem collaborating and brainstorming with others.
One of the important soft skills you should look out for when you’re adding to a team is a person’s ability to work in a team. People who want to be in total control or do not like compromising and combining ideas may struggle to work in a team, so if you want an employee that can easily work well with others, this is something to keep in mind when undergoing our VR employment services.
But what exactly makes a good team player in the workplace? What are the traits, habits, and personality types are you looking for in the ideal candidate? Here’s what you need to know about adding collaborative team players in your workplace to help your organization thrive.
For more information and inquiries about VR employee assessment, don’t hesitate to contact Aptitude today.
What Is a Team Player?
Just like any team sport, a team player in the workplace is someone who actively contributes to the goal everyone is trying to reach. Whether it’s helping meet a quota, manage a project, or complete a task within a given amount of time, this employee should be helping out in various ways.
A team player understands that they are not alone in reaching this goal. There may be tasks that they have to do on their own, but the endgame cannot be reached without the help of others. Thus, a team player actively takes in feedback, listens to their co-workers, and share the responsibilities, difficulties, and setbacks that may pop up along the way.
Team players understand the role they have to play and how it affects everyone else. The quality of their work will affect everyone else’s tasks, so they try to do the best they can.
Traits of a Good Team Player
Willingness to Collaborate
A good team player knows when they’re expected to take charge and when they’re expected to collaborate. Some individuals with Type A personalities may prefer taking control, but ideal team players know when to hand the reins to those who have to be on top of a task.
They also recognize that others may have different opinions, suggestions, and ideas. Even if they think their ideas are the best, they should be able to listen to all ideas, be open to criticism, and willing to change or compromise their ideas if someone wants to improve it. They don’t take this personally but instead recognize it’s a step closer towards getting to their team’s goals.
Accountability
Your ideal team player recognizes that the quality and timeliness of their work will affect everyone else. So, if they miss a deadline or produce sub-par quality output, everyone can be impacted. This can lead to delays, client dissatisfaction, and even costly errors.
A good team player recognizes their responsibility in all this, so when they make a mistake, they own up to it. They understand that instead of playing the blame game, they should try to look for solutions to minimize the effects their mistakes have on the rest of the team. Not only does this show concern for the team’s processes but it also shows that they are willing to own up to their mistakes.
Effective Communicator
A good team player recognizes the importance of communication and making sure everyone is on the same page. They constantly update their team on their progress, any setbacks, and anything else the team should know to prevent redundancy or oversight on tasks.
Team players also know that it’s OK to ask for help. When they aren’t sure, rather than going into a task blindly, they should ask for help. They ask questions when they don’t understand. In turn, they should also be willing to help those who ask for it if they have the capacity to help.
Respectful of Others’ Roles
Everyone has a role to play in your organization. A good team player understands that they are not more or less important than others and they are all equally necessary. Instead of trying to one-up themselves over another team member, they’re taking the time to learn from and work with their team better. And when a team member succeeds in their role, they should be celebrating their success rather than trying to bring them down.
Problem Solver
When a problem arises, a good team player isn’t looking for which team member to pin the blame on. The problem is there, it’s affecting everyone, and they’re more concerned with solving it as possible to minimize its effects on the whole team.
Shows Initiative
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Self-Aware of Their Strengths and Weaknesses
Everyone has their weaknesses, and a good team player can admit where they’re lacking. So, instead of trying to take control over every aspect of the team, a team player uses their strengths to their advantage while letting other members handle other areas they aren’t as good as.
Honest
Integrity is a highly valued trait for many organizations, hence growing the need for integrity tests for employment. In a team-based sense, a good team player is honest about what they’ve achieved and what mistakes they’ve made.
It’s normal for people to make mistakes every now and then. But if a person chooses to hide their mistakes rather than to immediately communicate the problem, it can get much worse before the truth is brought to life.
In terms of honesty, a good team member is candid but not rude. They should be honest about what they think of others’ ideas, but said in a constructive way that’s meant to improve and not bring down a person.
There may be even more traits you’d like to see in your workplace’s teams. Whether it’s expert-level knowledge in a certain skill or other soft skills that you think are valuable in your organization. A good team player can make an excellent employee in a collaborative workplace.
I’m In! What Do I Do Next?
Reach out to Aptitude for a free trial of our online recruitment tests today and take advantage of our introductory promo. You’ll get a full overview of our recruitment tests as well as a sample report.