By Olivia Bauer
It’s World Cup 2014 kickoff time! Thirty-two countries have gathered their elite football players to compete in Brazil for the honour of winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup Championship.
Employers are also looking for team players—employees who are committed, versatile, approachable, and easy to work with. Here are eight tips to help you boost your team performance.
Take initiative
Good team players are willing to take initiative. They volunteer for tasks and share in their colleagues’ workloads.
Share skills
Team players are open and accessible. They share their knowledge, skills, and experience to benefit the team.
Join in
Team players are active participants in meetings and office events. They prepare for and contribute to discussions. They’re well versed in their responsibilities as well as the company mission and operations.
Take on hard stuff
Team players don’t shrink from hard work or difficult tasks. They know their strengths and step up to tackle challenges.
“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.”–Mia Hamm, U.S. professional soccer player
Build rapport
Part of building a team is getting to know the rest of the team. Team players build relationships with their colleagues and learn to trust each other.
Be sociable
Team players get to know the people they’re working with. They join in team-building events and networking activities.
Be adaptable
Team players are willing to learn new things and to change for the good of the team. They embrace lifelong learning and study up on their field. They are versatile and adaptable.
Innovate
Team players innovate. They are not afraid of failure or making mistakes. They’re willing to take risks. If something doesn’t work out, they use it as an opportunity to learn how to do things next time.
Andrew Carnegie said “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”
Manitoba Start provides employability training and development programs for newcomers to raise awareness on how to be a great team player in the Canadian workplace. Visit: www.manitobastart.com.
