11 Signs of a Good Team Worker That Managers Should Look For

When building a team, it’s important to know the characteristics of a good team worker. Good team players not only excel in their job, but also make teamwork effective and profitable.

Hiring team members that cause a lot of problems within groups can make it stressful and unpleasant for everybody involved. You don’t want more problems as you’ve already had a lot on your plate as a manager.

Of course, you never know the true personality of someone you just met. But you can look for positive signs that show their potential as good teammates.

Look for these 11 traits when you’re interviewing for candidates and try to get good people for your business.

1. Listening Skills

Teamwork requires mutual communication between members. A good team worker knows how to listen to other members, while giving constructive opinions.

As there are various dimensions of thoughts in a team, a good team player needs to listen carefully with respect before making any comments or raising opinions.

If someone fails to listen to others and just dwell on their viewpoints, then probably they’re not able to work well with a group, and rather perform better individually. 

2. Ability to Convince

Conflicting and varying opinions are inevitable in teamwork. Besides being humble and respectful, a good team player needs to know how to persuade others so that their good opinions don’t sink in meetings. 

Someone with good persuasion skills will provide logical arguments and examples. They make their opinions heard and eventually receive the support of other team members.

3. Commitment and Responsibility

Whether working in groups or alone, commitment and responsibility will affect the final results of the work. A good team player doesn’t rely on other members to take care of the tasks or remind them what to do.

Working with commitment and responsibility means that the staff not only takes care of their own work, but also offers help and consultation to others when needed. A responsible individual will lift the team up, bringing everyone to the best results. 

4. Optimism

Optimistic people can be a big motivation in the workplace. Optimism helps increase the work efficiency, enthusiasm, and energy of other members. Humorous stories or an early morning smile can keep coworkers happy throughout the day. 

Find somebody who can perform well in a team by looking at their attitudes while taking on hard tasks. A good team worker will approach these tasks with optimism, strategic thinking, and a future-focused mindset. They’ll also find ways to add values and keep the whole team going with positivity.

5. Dealing with Trouble

When unexpected situations arise, effective problem solving and flexibility are required skills of a good team player. They need to know how to identify the solutions with the entire team and come up with helpful ideas, whether via open discussions or formal meetings.

Besides external factors that affect your business, internal conflicts are also a big issue. Resolving them as soon as possible is a way to maintain group unity and cooperation.

People who can mediate disputes and conflicts within groups serve as the bridge to help members collaborate more effectively.

6. Ability to Cooperate

Teamwork isn’t only about people working together in a team, but also having to coordinate well, and supporting each other for mutual development and striving towards common goals. 

A good team player will promote the spirit of teamwork and cooperation among members. They know how to listen, understand, and support others when working together. Someone who refuses to do all these things, whether subtly or obviously, is surely a red flag.

7. Be On-Time

We all appreciate those who know how to manage their time and never be late for any deadlines. They know how to avoid overlapping work professionally and complete their work on time. Someone like this can motivate others to speed up work and complete tasks before the deadlines.

8. Ability to Bring the Team Together

Besides managing time and tasks for themselves, a good team worker sometimes maps out plans and ideas to promote the team’s spirit and connect everybody. They can suggest and organize team-building activities, outdoor days, or game nights, etc.

9. Willing To Learn New Things

To work well in a team, a good team player needs to adapt accordingly to changes by actively gaining new knowledge from the work itself and from other members.

The business world is always changing and evolving. It’s important to look for people with a willing-to-learn mindset because they’ll try to improve their skills and survive better in challenging circumstances.

10. Ability to Work Under Pressure

When facing a large workload and long work hours, employees can be discouraged and disengaged from your business. If you’re running a business with lots of stressful deadlines and situations, it’s best to look for those who can survive under high pressure.

These staff often show persistence and calmness, even when they feel uncomfortable. Look for people who treat customers nicely, react politely to negative criticisms, or keep a positive attitude when deadlines are near.

11. Honesty

A great team player will be honest when giving opinions and suggestions. They’re more likely to stay away from gossips, workplace dramas, and toxic situations.

You can also expect someone with honesty to propose their opinions frankly and immediately. This contributes positively to your team’s workflow and growth.

Conclusion

There are several factors that will contribute to the effectiveness of a team, but good team players are one thing that can’t be substituted.

By noticing the common characteristics of a good team worker, you’re more likely to hire the right people for your business, hence improving efficiency and morale in the workplace.

Read more about 11 benefits of good teamwork here.