What Qualities A Good Team Member Must Demonstrate

‘’The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.’’ – Phil Jackson.

A team member ought to demonstrate number of qualities to become a good team member, who will be able to contribute effectively to the team goals. Several of the qualities include communication, commitment, empathy, active listening, adaptability, flexibility, emotional stability, time management, owning responsibility and assertiveness, positive attitude, honesty etc. These could also be termed as a combination of qualities, strengths, traits, values or skills. The qualities that a person needs to possess and demonstrate qualities as a good team member also depend on the type of profession the team member belongs to e g in customer service, project management team or medical professionals / support teams, and accordingly, a specific set of qualities are required. The success of any organisation depends on its teams that strive for excellence and a team member has invaluable contribution to make in achieving the goals.

The Medicine/Nursing and Health care are the sectors of professionally qualified personnel, and having efficient teams with competent team members with a synergy between teams within these sectors is extremely vital. The working of healthcare requires high functioning teams wherein, there is a nearly accurate coordination and cooperation between different teams (Doctors, Nurses, Administrators and other Non-medical staff and other stakeholders e g support workers, social workers, voluntary organisations and others) is required. A Nurse is a frontline warrior of the team who is in direct contact and communication with the patients the maximum compared to other professionals in the sector, as a good team member has not only to demonstrate the required qualities and performance, but has also to contribute for mutual support within the team itself during stressful times, besides rendering efficient services to the patients / service users.

There are sectors wherein a team member can put the head down, finish own work / targets and that completes their contribution to the team e g a cashier, a plumber, a factory worker and such others. However, a Nurse, being in a profession that requires utmost responsibility towards the patients and other stakeholders, has to demonstrate a specific set of qualities which include: commitment, empathy, kindness, communication, emotional stability, compassion, time management, working in pressure, multi-tasking, time management, attention to detail, patience, adaptability, flexibility, prioritising, active listening, problem-solving, supporting and respecting others, physical stamina, ethics, self-motivation, a desire to learn, a willingness to share knowledge and responsibility etc. in particular. There is nothing like a typical day for a Nurse (and so, for several other professions). Each day is full of newer challenges and hence a Nurse has to be on his/her toes, with unbeatable commitment, stamina and composure. In the modern times, when the technological, medical and scientific innovations are fast emerging, a Nurse also needs to keep updated through self-development / learning / CPD to remain in the profession and excel in performance. A Nurse truly shoulders heavy responsibility and hence, a good sense of humor will help all including the Nurse in easing the tense moments and take informed and prudent decisions!

At conscious or sub-conscious level, a Nurse with good qualities as a team member echoes in her daily work, the words of Maya Angelou: ‘’I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’’ – Maya Angelou

References

• Teamwork in the workplace: 10 qualities of an excellent team player- Pole L, Frierson W (June 2017)
• Teamwork in Nursing: How to be a Key Contributor in Your Unit, Elrick L (February 2016)
• 17 Qualities that Make a Good Nurse, Daymar College
• 20 Essential Qualities of a Good Nurse, Uzuegbunem T (April 2019) BSN RN