Teamwork in the Work Environment

As an employee working for a prominent consulting firm, my job depends heavily on my ability to be a team player. Over the last three years I have been a part of teams that involve people from both sides of the continent, some of whom I never meet in person, yet still consider a teammate.

The number one rule in being a team player involves knowing your place on the team. Where do you fit in? What is it that makes your particular involvement a vital aspect of the project and crucial component in completing the team's objective?

A team leader is generally a person who approaches things from a "top down" approach. In other words, he or she will constantly keep the final goal in sight. The most effective leaders know how to bolster the team and keep everyone motivated to reach that apex together.

By contrast, people who approach things with the "bottom up" point of view are skillful at providing the logistics and details necessarily to complete the project. Such details are those that the team leader may not have even considered initially. People who see things from the bottom up, perhaps knowing little else about the project than their specific role, may need occasional reminders about how it ties into the greater plan.

Strong team leaders are those who know how to delegate. They see what they want to have happen, and, if they're truly attuned to the overall group dynamic, they are aware of each team mate's strengths and weaknesses. The two greatest pitfalls of being a team leader are 1. The leader tends to overpower the rest of the group; 2. The leader "bends over backwards" as they say, to appear more like an amicable buddy than a goal-oriented leader.

Some tips for team leaders:

1. Delegate, don't dominate
2. Know your team's strengths and weaknesses
3. Take responsibility for managing deadlines, setting up meetings
4. Keep the team involved in the process from start to finish