Essential qualities of a team player

In the book, Maxwell gives a vibrant analysis of the necessary personal characteristics that an individual should possess to become an effective team player. The book is intended for people who want to improve individual team working skills and those who want to build and mentor strong teams. This essay is an analysis of the information in the book as discussed in a captivating manner, allowing the reader to get a gist of each chapter. Great team players possess the 17 key traits, as illustrated by well-known personalities from history. The characteristics include: Adaptable – great team players are highly adaptable, and if an individual is unable to change for the sake of the team, then the acts of the team are likely to change him/her.

Hence, to improve commitments, teammates should tie commitment to values, take risks, and evaluate the commitments of their counterparts (Maxwell, 2006). Communicative – a team comprises of different people each with a unique voice. An exceptional communicative individual should not isolate themselves from others, should be easy to engage colleagues in communication, and should give attention to difficult communication. Moreover, they should follow the 24-Hour rule, and any vital communication should be followed up with writing. To enhance communication within a team, team players should be candid, quick, and inclusive (Maxwell, 2006). Moreover, team players can enhance discipline by strengthening their work habits, taking on their challenges, and taming their tongues (Maxwell, 2006). Enlarging – this is an aspect of adding value to fellow teammates. In a team, members want inspiration that will elevate them to success.

Common characteristics of team players who value their teammates include appreciating their teammates, valuing what the teammates consider worthy, adding value to teammates, and making themselves more valuable. For individuals to become enlargers, they should believe in others first, add value and serve others first before they expect a reciprocation. Well prepared team focus on assessment (what awaits them), alignment (doing the right tasks geared towards their accomplishments), attitude (make themselves ready for success) and action (the necessary step to accomplish a given task). Preparedness can be improved by becoming a process thinker, doing additional research, and learning from previous mistakes. Even if preparation does not guarantee success, it is necessary for success to come through (Maxwell, 2006). Relational – teams desire individuals who are relational because they help an organization get along well.

To determine if a solid relationship has been built in a team, the common factors considered include respect (teammates should be able to respect one another and their opinions), reciprocity (the response exhibited to the organization should be positive), shared experience, mutual enjoyment and trust (teammates should trust one another unless proved otherwise). Solution-oriented people recognize that problems are mere perspectives and every problem has a solution. Solution-oriented individuals never give up, always refocus their thinking and reconsider every strategy as well as recap the process (Maxwell, 2006). Tenacious – this implies giving all your efforts towards a given goal, giving 100% and not beyond your limits. It means working with determination without relying on destiny, luck, or fate and not quitting. Tenacious people only stop when the work is done.