Are you unhappy or frustrated at work?

Have you thought this about your team:

• “I can’t be responsible for the quality of my team’s efforts.”
• “Getting on a good team is mostly a matter of luck.”
• “If I’m part of a poorly functioning team, and I’m not in charge, there is little I can do but bear it.”

These kinds of thoughts take an enormous toll — they result in lost productivity and low morale of the individual, the team, and the whole organization.

After years of studying team behavior and coaching business leaders, I can tell you that the most successful people demonstrate another set of beliefs and skills about teamwork which in my book Teamwork Is An Individual Skill I call “TeamWisdom.”

People with TeamWisdom:

• understand and act on all of their personal abilities to affect the entire team’s effectiveness
• know that being in a good team isn’t random, it’s a function of one’s relationship behavior and what they and others do
• take personal responsibility for the quality of their relationships. They never wait for those “in charge” to notice and act on a situation that needs attention

Do you want your experience at work to improve? Try this: consider your most recent team experience. Would you give yourself a high rating for your (not anyone else’s) TeamWisdom?

The quality of your participation affects the quality of the team’s results. Instead of expecting a mediocre team experience or just hoping for a better one, raise your own standards for —  and commitment to — great team performance.

Make Teamwork an Individual Skill — Start Being More Responsible For Your Own Team Experience!

1. recognize that you are not a passive recipient in teams — your behavior shapes and affects the team
2. acknowledge that not attending to team performance is a choice and that you are choosing to put yourself at the mercy of change and will most likely be frustrated with the outcome
3. accept that if you are in a situation of shared responsibility and reward, the quality and productivity of the relationships are worthy of your focus — your input matters

If you start with just these three steps, you’ll transform you experience with teamwork!

Want to learn more about how to have a more fulfilling work experience?

Christopher Avery’s book Teamwork Is An Individual Skill will teach you how to work more effectively, how to stand out from the crowd, and how to be more successful in any situation.