Being a good team player has become even more important for many of us thrown into close quarters with our partner, children, and/or extended family. But teamwork does not always come naturally to employees and homebound families who are collaborating now more than ever. In these times, our sanity might be saved by learning to collaborate better. The first step to becoming a better collaborator? Becoming a better team player.

Communication

Effective communication with the team, whether coworkers or family, is critical! It’s how we present ideas, provide feedback, and accomplish goals, even if the goal is getting the kids to eat just one green bean. Empathy is particularly important to communication, because being a good team player means understanding someone’s feelings and using that when communicating. Empathy does not mean using what the other person says as a springboard to your own story or complaint; you want to acknowledge their challenge and say, “I understand that must be very difficult.”

Feedback

Right now it is especially difficult to strike a balance between positive and negative, especially when providing feedback. When tensions run high, a knee-jerk reaction can make us express our concerns in a destructive way. To give the best feedback, try saying something positive, then stating the issue, then following up with something positive, sandwiching the negative in between the positive.

Organization

Disorganization can be confused with disinterest or disrespect—not the best message! When meeting with other members of your work team, take a few moments to prepare in advance, making sure you have all the notes and tools you need. A meeting agenda will really help keep things on track.

Deliverables

Stuff happens—life is a balancing act for us all right now—but that’s no excuse for hanging someone out to dry. Renegotiate your commitments when you need to, so you can keep your word without totally flaking. Be someone your team can count on!

Disagreements

The best teams include different ideas and methodologies, which can lead to disagreements now and then. Disagreements happen, and the questions, concerns, and challenge of it all can lead to some of the best work. Just remember that a great team player does it all respectfully. You’re all working toward the same goal!

In Conclusion

Whether we’re part of a work team, a sports team, a family, or a social circle, we all have to work on teams. Hopefully these tips will remind us how to play nice with others when it doesn’t come so easily. It only takes one dedicated team player to inspire their teammates to greatness!