The following contains excerpts from the book, The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player (John Maxwell).
At our music school in Odessa, Texas, we believe that music is more than sound, it is relationships. In dealing with the subject of relationships, the study of Leadership comes into play. And one of the most important topics of leadership is understanding how to coalesce, maintain, and inspire a team.
Maxwell presents 17 distinct characteristics to look for in people, as you are in the process of building a team of people. The list can also apply to one’s self in terms of personal development.
Quality #1: Adaptable. Highly teachable, willing to learn and adapt to new things, emotionally secure and creative, focus less on themselves and more on the team
We are looking for students who have the characteristic of teachableness at our music school in Odessa, Texas – those who have a passion for learning and making themselves better each day.
Quality #2: Collaborative. Cooperation is merely working together agreeably, but collaborating means working together more aggressively. 1) Perception: a collaborative team player must see each other team member as collaborators, not competitors, 2) Attitude: be supportive, not suspicious, 3) Focus: concentrate on the team, not yourself, 4) Results: create victories through multiplication. To be a collaborative team player, think win-win-win, complement others and their unique gifts, and take yourself out of the picture.
One of the greatest things we can offer at our music school in Odessa, Texas, which carries the potential for a powerful life-long benefit is the ability to play in ensembles. Getting along with others requires the kind of listening skills that musicians train their entire lives to refine. This practice can be extended to all collaborative relationships.
Quality #3: Committed. Commitment is usually discovered in the midst of adversity. Commitment is not the result of gifts or abilities, but of choice and attitude. Commitment lasts when it is based on values. Tie your commitments to your values.
One can hardly attain any degree of competency at our music school in Odessa, Texas without the application of committed, daily practice. This is the first step toward attaining any goal, and is a life-lesson that our students learn early and profoundly.
Quality #4 Communicative. Communicative team players: 1) Do not isolate themselves, 2) Make it easy for team-mates to communicate with them, 3) Give attention to potentially difficult relationships, 4) Follow up important communication with writing. Be candid, quick and inclusive
Quality #5 Competent. Competent people are: 1) Committed to excellence, 2) Pay attention to detail, 3) Perform with consistency. How to become competent: 1) Focus yourself professionally, 2) Sweat the small stuff, 3) Give more attention to implementation. Putting things on paper is one thing, but implementing them on schedule is quite another.
Quality #6 Dependable. The essence of dependability: 1) Pure motives, 2) The ability to take on responsibility, 3) Sound thinking and good judgment when it counts, 4) Consistent contribution
Quality #7 Disciplined. Discipline is doing what you really don’t want to do, so that you can do what you want to do. Disciplined thinking: keep your mind active. Disciplined emotions: either you master your emotions, or be mastered by them. Disciplined actions: action separates the winners from the losers.
Quality #8 Enlarging. Team members love a player who is able to inspire them to become more successful. Enlargers value their team-mates, value what their team-mates value, add value to their team-mates, make themselves more valuable.
Quality #9 Enthusiastic. Enthusiastic team members: 1) Take responsibility for their own enthusiasm. 2) Act their way into feeling. 3) Believe in what they are doing. 4) Spend time with enthusiastic people. Show a sense urgency, be willing to do more, and strive for excellence.
Quality #10 Intentional. Working with a strong sense of purpose: 1) Have a purpose worth living for, 2) Know your strengths and weaknesses, 3) Prioritize responsibilities, 4) Learn to say, ‘no’ so you can focus on what you do best, 5) Commit yourself to long-term achievement.
We encourage intentionality at our music school in Odessa, Texas among our students. Preparation for performances can start months in advance. Again, the value that studying music can give to a focused individual is profound on many levels.
Quality #11 Mission-conscious. Mission-conscious players: 1) Know where the team is going, 2) Let the leader lead, 3) Place team accomplishment ahead of their own, 4) Do whatever is necessary to achieve the mission. Check to see if your team focusses on its mission. Find ways to keep the mission in mind. Contribute your best as a team member.
Quality #12 Prepared. To be a more prepared team, consider: 1) Assessment: where your team is headed and where you are now. 2) Alignment: you have to work in the right direction. 3) Attitude: diligent people prepare and do their homework. 4) Action: Courage has no greater ally than preparation, and fear has no greater enemy.
Quality #13 Relational. Respect: you must expect to earn it from others, but give it freely to others. It is best earned on difficult ground. Shared experiences. Trust: it sustains and feeds relationships and is essential to all good relationships. Reciprocity: give and take is the foundation of any team relationship. Mutual enjoyment: the joy of being a team together can turn unpleasant tasks into positive experiences.
Quality #14 Self-improvement. Self-improving team players ask themselves what they can improve everyday. If you study the lives of truly great individuals who have influenced the world, you will find that in virtually every case, they spent considerable amounts of time alone, contemplating, meditating, listening.
One of the best ways to be a successful team player is to bring your best self. This means that each member must be strong in their own competency. At our music school in Odessa, Texas we teach that personal discipline and growth precedes successful team involvement.
Quality #15 Self-less. Be generous. Avoid internal politics. Display loyalty. Value inter-dependence. Promote someone other than yourself. Take subordinate roles. Give secretly.
Quality #16 Solution-oriented. Problems are a matter of perspective. All problems are solvable. Problems either stop us or stretch us- the choice is yours. Refuse to give up. Refocus your thinking. Repeat the process.
Quality #17 Tenacious. Tenacious means: giving all that you’ve got, working with determination, not waiting on ‘destiny’, quitting when the job is done, not when you’re tired. Work harder or smarter and put in additional hours. Stand for something. Make your work a game.