If you were asked to put together a team to take on an important project, how would you go about choosing your team members? Assuming the available pool of employees or coworkers includes the technical skills you’re looking for, what other qualities or characteristics would you need to consider to put together a team that will work together well and get the project done on time and within budget?
While technical skills are important, I’d argue for selecting your team members on these personality traits as much as selecting them based on technical acumen.
Reliability
The first characteristic would be reliability. You’ll need team members who’ll show up every day, ready to face the challenges of the project at hand. Consistency is a critical characteristic of team building. Maintaining momentum on a project is paramount in making sure things are completed on time. You can’t afford to continually restart the process, because work or planning stalls. Slow and steady wins the race.
Constructive Communication
There will be differences of opinion on when or how to make something happen. What you’ll want on your team are members who can constructively communicate their feelings or their position on a given issue. Communicating constructively means respecting the opinions and feelings of others. Differences should be shared in a positive but respectful manner.
Good Listening Skills
Fifty percent of being a good communicator is being a good listener. Some would argue being able to listen is the most important aspect of good communication. Being a good listener means having the ability to consider, absorb and understand the ideas and opinions of others. A good rule of thumb for being a good listener is to listen first and speak second. As Stephen Covey reminded us: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
The Ability to Engage
Active participation by all team members is essential for project completion. Good team members show up for meetings, prepared and ready to engage in the discussion. Engaged team members also take the initiative to make things happen. They have a can-do mindset and are more than willing to roll up their sleeves and help get the job done.
Flexibility
Remember, the only thing constant is change. Good team members are prepared to deal with changing conditions. In some cases, they’ll see the need to create change themselves in order to get the job done. They’re able to roll with the punches and accept differing ideas or positions without becoming defensive hardliners.
Commitment
Strong team members are committed to doing a great job for the company, their team and the work the team’s involved in. They put their shoulder to the wheel and give 100 percent effort. And they expect the other members of the team to do the same.
Creativity and Innovation
Let’s face it: more often than not, teams are created to deal with a problem – or a problem project. Good team members are solution oriented, not problem focused. They don’t spend too much time dwelling on what didn’t – or doesn’t – work. They aren’t looking to find fault or a scapegoat. They want to find innovative and creative ways to problem solve or to make something better than it was before.
Team building is, and will continue to become, an increasingly important aspect of management. Learning how to put together a team of people who can effectively and creatively deal with organizational problems is an important management skill to develop. While relying on technical abilities is important, putting together a group of people with the right personality traits will, more often than not, determine the success of the project.