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10 Ways You Can Be a Team Player

In work, as in sports, it’s not enough to know your position – you must be able to work with others.

In any medical office or environment, doing your specific job well is expected, but you work as a small part of a much larger whole. What does “teamwork” actually mean, and how can you help turn your hospital or clinic into a productive, supportive team? Let’s look at 10 common-sense ways you can improve your work, your relationships with your co-workers, and – ultimately – your career.

Communicate

It goes without saying, but to reinforce the point we’re saying it anyway: If you don’t make a priority of telling your co-workers what they need to know, your interactions will never be productive. Someone encroaching on your responsibilities, or not living up to theirs? Unless you clearly tell them what you think, they’ll likely keep doing exactly what you don’t want them to do. This is a two-way street, so be prepared to hear feedback you might not have expected.

Encourage

When you see a co-worker – or even your boss – struggling with a task or idea, how do you react? If you answered, “I go back to my work until they are done,” you lose two teamwork brownie points. The Golden Rule applies to all the tips in this article, but to none of the others as much as this. Taking a moment of your precious time to simply recognize someone else’s struggle – even if you can’t actually help out – and sympathize with them is one of the most important things you can do at work. It may seem like nothing to you, but encouraging them to see through the task or just get through the day is more powerful than you could ever know.

Congratulate

Just like the last point, recognizing someone else’s good work is crucial to fostering a strong sense of teamwork. Did someone on the floor have to deal with a belligerent patient (again)? Big successes are often celebrated with promotions and raises, but recognizing the little things and doing something as simple as congratulating them with home baked cookies or a card will strengthen your bonds.

Constructive Criticism Not Complaints

You know that person on your shift who’s always complaining about something? Is that person actually you? Instead of complaining about someone not doing something to code, or moaning about a particular workplace problem, try thinking up three ways things can be done better. Then? Then you’re back to our first tip: communicate those solutions.