Improving your teamwork skills is an integral part of personal and professional development. A team’s attitude not only dictates their work environment, but it also dictates how far they will go in terms of reaching their goals. A united team tends to be more productive and efficient than a team full of division and negativity. Building a safe work environment where everyone feels heard and appreciated requires communication, collaboration, integrity, encouragement, and responsibility. This kind of environment can be fostered if you start being aware of how you deal with your coworkers, especially difficult ones, and to be intentional when it comes to shifting the culture of your workplace.

To avoid being a negative coworker, you need to know the signs or indications of a bad teammate. Negative teammates tend to:

• Blame others rather than share responsibility
• Constantly be a source of discouragement and point out problems without solutions
• Seek to control the team + dismiss other people’s ideas
• Be passive and refuse to take part in discussions

How To Be A Team Player

• Learn to take responsibility for your actions

A bad teammate is a teammate that plants blame culture in the workplace and refuses to be held accountable by others for their actions. Admitting when you’re at fault or sharing responsibility when things don’t go your way is essential to ease tension in the midst of conflict. 

• Honor other people’s time

This doesn’t just mean showing up on time for meetings or working hours, but also respecting deadlines. Especially if you’re part of a bigger project and someone else’s role starts where yours ends, it’s essential that you are seen as someone others can rely on.

• Make it a habit to encourage others

Recognizing your teammates’ good efforts and praising them for it, especially in the      presence of others, motivates them to keep going. If you catch your coworker doing something good, start an “encouragement train” at work; take ten minutes on a weekly basis as a team to point out things others have done that inspired or motivated you. It could be the fact that they performed well at a specific task or that they have a good mindset that impacts the morale of the workplace.  

• Communicate

To avoid mishaps that come with miscommunication, it’s important to consistently communicate and update coworkers so that everyone involved is on the loop and projects can be done more efficiently. Not only does this give them a sense of belonging, but it also saves you the hassle of a miscommunication. Don’t assume that others know where you’re at, and this can apply for other factors as well. Be vocal with your coworkers about your needs and learn how to communicate them gently but assertively. This is important because we often get frustrated and bitter when our needs are not met, but we always make the false assumption that people understand how we’re feeling. 

• Avoid gossip

Gossip creates a negative atmosphere, especially when it reaches the person who was the center of it. It can strain relationships and get in the way of focusing on tasks. When a person gossips it speaks volumes about who they are, and in taking part of it, It can make you look immature too. 

• Listen to other people’s ideas

It can be easy for us to believe in our ideas and to push for them, but it’s important to give others a chance to share their ideas. Rather than being dismissive or critical of others, try encouraging them to share their opinions and ideas.

Sometimes we are desperate to see a change, but we give ourselves little credit. If you want to see a change in your work environment, it would be a good idea to start by examining the role you play in reinforcing the current negative atmosphere because only then can you start working towards a more positive one.

Reflection Questions

• Do I give people a chance to share their ideas or am I always pushing for my own?
• Do I find it easy to take responsibility for my actions?
• Is gossip a habit in my life? If yes, why do I take part in it?
• How has gossip impacted me or my loved ones in the past?
• Do I honor other people’s schedules by showing up on time?
• When was the last time I encouraged someone at work?