In almost every job listing, employers are clear about the people they want. People with both technical and soft skills, People who have a work ethic and good values.
People who work well with others as part of a team.
It’s that final one that can trip up many jobs candidates. Selling yourself to an employer – or trying to move your way up the corporate ladder once you find a job – involves finding the right mix of promoting yourself but also understanding that you are now part of something much bigger than yourself.
What Many Can Accomplish Working Together
By its very nature, a business is a collection of people with different talents coming together to achieve agreed-upon, common goals. Businesses bring together people with expertise in areas such as sales, marketing, finance, law and business leadership and asks that they unite to develop and execute the best strategy possible for business success.
There is not a lot of room in the equation for those who think only of themselves.
Even so, human resource officers and hiring managers often tell stories of passing on certain job candidates after an interview because the hopeful applicant thought it was all about them. They failed to relate how their skills would help the company achieve and sustain success.
If they do get the job, those who think work is all about them and not the company run the risk of generating ill will among co-workers. The website Work Wisdom put it this way: “It’s a guarantee that nothing will inflame your co-workers sensitivities more than an individual who makes a grab for glory and takes credit for the work of others.”
You Also Benefit From Being Part of a Good Team
Interestingly, one of the main benefits of being on a team is that you also can get personal accolades and may find yourself promoted by thinking of the benefits to the many, rather than just yourself. Some of the benefits, culled from Work Wisdom and other sources, can include
- Looking confident because you are willing to share the limelight with teammates rather than trying to grab all the glory yourself.
- Winning the respect of teammates because you have taken the time to share the glory of your project, even if you happen to be the person presenting the final product to executives.
- What comes around goes around – if you acknowledge the contributions made by others, they may acknowledge yours at some point in the future.
- Focusing on the bottom line for the company can lead to a better financial position for the business as a whole and also lead to better salaries, benefits and equipment for employees.
The Place Where Leaders Are Forged
Another benefit of being a good team player is that it provides the best lessons and experiences possible in teaching people how to become a good leader.
Those who want to someday lead others should also understand early on that focusing on themselves is a dead end. Focusing on what’s best for the company is what is best for everyone. Businesses, after all, are in the business of generating cash, consistently, not the business of promoting you.
The majority of that consistent revenue comes from the work of teams, not individuals. Those who want to succeed in business must learn how the best teams work.
Some things to keep in mind if you want to be successful as a team player:
- Always be cooperative, not argumentative
- Do not look to blame, look to find solutions
- Always keep team and business goals in mind
- Always share credit
Keeping these issues in mind can leady to more success for the business you work for and a more successful career for you.
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iFame Media provided this article on behalf of Fun Crew USA, a company dedicated to providing top notch water slide rentals and mobile zip line rentals in Orlando, FL.
