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Top 10 Essentials of a Great Team Player

Posted 8 years ago

What makes a great team player? If you asked 50 coaches or managers, you’d probably get 50 different answers. But what if there was a check list, that enabled you to honestly evaluate how great a team player you are? Leadership expert and author, Tammy Holyfield has created exactly that. After working with thousands of professionals, across a diverse assortment of Fortune 500 companies, Tammy has assembled the essential characteristics she believes most accurately determine an individual’s relevant “score”.  Are there any other essentials that you believe belong on this list? Tell us below in the comments section!

Top 10 Essentials of a Great Team Player

by Tammy Holyfield

Want to increase Bottom Line results? Learning to be a better Team Player is the fast tract to grow profits.
Pick ME! Pick ME!!! That reminds me of an elementary school playground where no one wants to be the last person pick for the team. We all want to be indispensable, but what are the “must haves” to get picked as a team player? Are you the person everyone wants on their team?
Teamwork is a key success factor in business, family, church and recreation. But what are the character traits of great team players? We conducted a poll and asked this “If you could choose the ESSENTIAL TRAITS of your Co-Workers and assemble the team around you, what would be MOST important to you?” Here’s what we learned…
Top 10 Essentials of Great Team Players

  1. Dependable
  2. Effective Communicator
  3. Confident
  4. Solution Oriented
  5. Adaptable
  6. Patient
  7. Enthusiastic
  8. Competent
  9. Disciplined
  10. Tenacious

How would you rate in the Team Player Trait Poll? Try taking this Quick Team Trait Evaluation.
On a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being perfect how would you rate yourself?
Your score could increase your draft pick potential. Creating that “Superstar Team” starts with you. Rating you and your co-workers makes a fun staff meeting or team exercise.
Top 10 Quick Team Trait Evaluations
1. Dependable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Yours to Count on… Can you be counted on? Dependable people are consistently on time and deliver. They can be trusted to honor their commitments and keep promises. This is a learned behavior that is largely based on self-esteem and core values.
2. Effective Communicator 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The world’s greatest communicators know to incorporate more than words to persuade and inspire people to take action.
3. Confident 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Confidence precedes results. Team members who are confident about the mission as well as their ability to achieve success will motivate others to higher levels of performance.
4. Solution Oriented 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A solution oriented person look to resolve issues instead of look for fault.
5. Adaptable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Adaptable people are teachable and choose to explore processes, plans and solutions to accomplish the overall team objectives.
6. Patient 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
This essential is evident in the difficult times. When the pressure is on is when our patience is tested but tested. Usually, when we pass this test it results in stronger and improved relationships.
7. Enthusiastic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Enthusiasm is contagious and enthusiastic people can coach, encourage and inspire the team through rough terrain.
8. Competent 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Webster’s defines it like this… having adequate abilities or capacity to function and develop in a specific skill or qualification.
9. Disciplined 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Is the ability to get done tasks that you may not “FEEL” like doing! It’s self-control gained by enforcing obedience over time.
10. Tenacious 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Where there is a will there is a way! Tenacious people never give up.
Score Key
81 to 100 Points = Excellent Team Player! First Round Pick
51 to 80 Points = We WILL Keep You… Second Round Pick
0 to 40 Points = Great News these are LEARNED skills… Third Round Pick
Notice… Education nor skill set made the list. Of course we all want to work with highly skilled and intelligent people but it was interesting to see character and behavior was top of the list.
From the Coach:
Do you want a loyal and engaged team? The best way is to genuinely believe, encourage and celebrate their dreams.
Ask Yourself:
How can I become a better team player?
Who can I share this survey with?


Tammy Holyfieldteam player is a business development strategist, professional speaker, leadership expert, author and consultant, on a mission to teach and inspire people to improve their everyday life. Using the methods and principles she teaches, Tammy has overcome great obstacles. Her message is dynamic, encouraging people to succeed and inspiring them to act!
Holyfield began her professional career in marketing and served as the Director of Marketing for Summit Pet Product Distributors, the IAMs Pet Food (Proctor and Gamble) regional distribution center. Today, she is the founder and CEO of Holyfield Consulting, a personal and business development company. Holyfield Consulting specializes in organizational development, strategic planning, communication, building trust, strengthening teams, leadership development, increasing accountability and executing results. Each week she writes a column entitled “Ask the Coach”® which provides readers a fresh perspective on current challenges facing the business world.
Tammy addresses thousands of people each year from diverse Fortune 500 companies and has consulted, and trained entrepreneurs, CEO’s, professionals and individuals from all walks of life. Her ideas are proven, practical and get results. And clients say that working with Tammy created an increase in moral, solidified corporate culture, and bridged the communication gap from vision to results. Her audiences and clients agree, Tammy teaches techniques and strategies that are easy to understand and put to use immediately to achieve greater results in their lives and careers.
Her latest book hit number 2 on the Amazon Best-Seller list, co-authored with the legendary business development expert, best-selling author and speaker, Brian Tracy. “Counter-Attack: Business Strategies for Explosive Growth in the New Economy” will feature Brian Tracy along with leading experts from around the world across diverse fields of business.