To good teammates, mindsets matter. So do morals, manners, and motives. In fact, almost everything matters to good teammates—the optimal word being almost.
Here are eight things that don’t matter to good teammates:
1. Who gets the credit. It doesn’t matter to good teammates who’s credited for the accomplishment as long as the team’s objective is achieved.
2. Who’s to blame. It doesn’t matter to good teammates who’s responsible for the misstep. They’re more interested in righting the wrong, than who’s wrong. They know there’ll be a time for accountability, but trying to assign blame before the problem is resolved isn’t it.
3. How many times they fall. It doesn’t matter to good teammates how many times they fall. What matters is how many times they get back up after they fall. Resiliency and determination are crucial to team success, and falling (failing) is part of the growth process.
4. Aesthetics. It doesn’t matter how it looks to good teammates. Functionality trumps aesthetics. They prioritize performance and purpose over appearance and appeal.
5. How their role is perceived by outsiders. It doesn’t matter to good teammates what outsiders perceive to be reality. When it comes to roles, the opinions of those fighting beside them in the trenches outweigh the opinions of those observing from the periphery.
6. How long it takes to achieve a goal. The length of the journey doesn’t matter to good teammates. They are focused on the end results and relentlessly pursue goals until those goals are achieved.
7. Convenience. It doesn’t matter to good teammates whether something is convenient or inconvenient. If their teams need it, they’re willing to do it. They accept inconvenience for the sake of their teams’ progress.
8. Popularity. It doesn’t matter to good teammates whether their decisions are popular. They’re aware that that just because something is popular doesn’t make it right. Likewise, just because something is right doesn’t make it popular. Good teammates make their decisions based on what right for their teams, not what’s popular.
Taking an introspective look at what matters to you—and what doesn’t—plays a vital role in what type of teammate you are and how much success your team can experience.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
