We have heard this statement over and over, but what does it really mean? A team can only truly succeed if its players put others on the team ahead of themselves. Being selfless is not any easy thing to do all of the time, but it is the necessary thing to do in order to have a triumphant team. How do you cultivate an attitude of selflessness? There are five key ingredients that need to be displayed by all team members.
1. Be generous – The heart of selflessness is generosity, it brings people together and as a team it advances it. If each team member is willing to give of themselves to the team as a whole generously it will be successful.
2. Avoid Internal Politics – One of the worst forms of selfishness can be seen when one team member positions themselves for their own benefit regardless of how it might damage the team (playing for themselves). Good team players worry about the benefit of their teammates more than they do of themselves.
3. Display loyalty – If you show loyalty to the people on your team, they will respond with loyalty. One for all and all for one!
4. Value interdependence over independence. The team members work together helping one another seeing the big picture of what needs to happen instead of just individual small parts.
5. Promote someone other than yourself – Find positive things to say about your teammate’s actions, accomplishments and qualities and talk them up. Everyone appreciates when their efforts are noticed and acknowledged.
These five simple elements can make such a big difference in your work team, it has in mine and it is so worth taking the time to discuss how we can continue to improve our work teams, which in turn will improve our work culture.
2/7/13
“Many hands make light work.” ~John Heywood
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