Qualities of a Team Player - COMMUNICATIVE

We are continuing to learn and grow in 2014 by developing teamwork skills utilizing the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player. This book carries the subtitle “Becoming the kind of person every team wants”. Developing a better team always begins with the individuals. To improve the team, improve the individuals on the team.

(c) Renjith Krishnan

Quality #4: Communicative - a team is many voices with a single heart.

"Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people." - William Butler Yeats

To state it bluntly, you cannot have teamwork unless you have communicative players. Without communication, you don't have a team; you have a collection of individuals.

If you evaluate a good team, you will find that its players have some common characteristics. Communicative players:

1. Do not isolate themselves from others.
   1. The more teammates know about each other and about the team's goals and methods, the more they will understand.
2. Make it easy for teammates to communicate with them.
   1. If you look at good leaders and impact players on a team, you will find that they not only stay connected with their teammates but they also make sure their teammates are able to make contact with them easily.
   2. Open communication fosters trust.
   3. If you can include others, do. Certainly you need to be discreet with sensitive information, but remember this: people are up on things they are in on.
3. Follow the twenty-four hour rule.
   1. If you have any kind of difficulty or conflict with a teammate, do not let more than twenty-four hours go by without addressing it.
   2. "Friendship is a slow-ripening fruit." - Aristotle.
4. Give attention to potentially difficult relationships.
   1. Relationships need attention to thrive.
5. Follow up important communication in writing.
   1. The more difficult communication becomes, the more important it is to work to keep it clear and simple.
   2. That often means putting communication in writing.

To improve your communication:

• Be candid.
• Be quick.
• Be inclusive.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc