A team player is simply a person who works very well as a member of a team or a group of individuals. Being a team player not only leads to significant benefits to the team player but also to the organization which the team player is working for. Various teams formed in an organization require very strong team players for them to help in performing the duties and responsibilities bestowed on them towards attainment of the overall organizational goals. A team player puts the interest of the organization first and is actively involved in coordinating the efforts of every team member to strive for a common objective.
Based on my experience in the firefighter academy lessons and practices, I have developed a positive perception about the need of always being a team player. I have learned that team player skills are not only required in work environment but also in the real life undertakings. In the context of the firefighting department, I have learned that being a team player can help me execute my duties more safely and efficiently by working closely with other fire fighters in the department (Morton, Linda and Janet 4). Through the lessons learned in the academy, I am able to work under the specified team plan without contradicting the set processes since I know the consequences of such behavior.
Through the training process at the academy, I have developed the basic and critical characteristics of a team player, which I believe will help me in my work place and general life involvements. I now have commitment skills that have enabled me to give full attention to whatever I am involved in together with other team members. In any project that I am assigned, I make sure that my impact and that of my team is felt through showing total commitment to the project. My team player skills have also made me to be very collaborative with my members in to guarantee the success of my team (Jenkinson, Josie, Clare and Fiona 226). I am able to coordinate tasks with the other team mates and work in harmony towards the attainment of a common goal. As a committed team player, I keep my focus on the project and the end results to ensure they are the best.
Through the team player skills developed in my life involvements, I have developed dependable and reliable characteristics all through. As a team player, I have learned the importance of being responsible in whatever I do either in school, work or at home. I have also developed good judgmental skills, which enables me to make reliable decisions that are dependable by the team I am working with. I portray a lot of consistency in whatever I do because I know the other team members rely on my contribution and that I will be held accountable for the tasks performed within my team (Gewertz, Bruce and Dave 22). Working as a team requires high levels of communication among the team members to ensure there is free flow of information within the team. As a team player, I have learned to communicate every bit of information about how to improve team performance to all the team members on time and comprehensively.
Being a team player is very beneficial. A good team player can turn out to be a good leader because of the ability to lead the other members in the team. As a good team player, I have developed the urge of promoting the work of other people within the team; thus, making me an exceptional leader. During and after my training in the firefighter academy, I have been able to share the knowledge and expertise with my team members with all the due generosity. Therefore, my team player skills have made me develop leadership skills and I find myself as a leader in all the teams I find myself in. The ability to draw attention to my members’ good work is also important because it portrays my level of confidence in working within a team (Jenkinson, Josie, Clare and Fiona, 228). Therefore, team player skills are very crucial because they develop confidence among the team players, such that we can freely share our opinions without fear of being victimized by our fellow team members. Team player skills also help in motivating the other team members to undertake their tasks with more commitment since they are fully aware that their contributions will be well acknowledged by their fellow team mates.
Being a good team player is very relevant not only in life but also in the organization in which the team members are serving. In the operations of firefighting department, the spirit of team work has proved to be very relevant because it ensures that work is done with maximum cooperation among the firefighters. In the firefighter academy, we learned that team player skills are very relevant because they ensure that the operations are safe and efficient as possible. Lack of team work may lead to serious accidents that may hurt the individual involved or hurt the rest of the team members (Gewertz, Bruce & Dave, 24). Team work is relevant because it ensures there is close consultation among the members and the work is undertaken collectively as a team. The knowledge acquired from the firefighter lessons have helped me understand the relevance of the team player skills at workplace and normal life situation.
My experience at the firefighter academy has helped me know the value of understanding the real meaning of being a team player. Understanding the specific meaning of the term team player has enabled me embrace the qualities of a good team player. I have learned to always cooperate with the other team members within the team to attain a collective goal. I have also learned to always make decisions based on the team goals, which is an implication that I should give the team goals priority over my personal goals (Gewertz, Bruce & Dave, 27). The value of understanding the real meaning of being a team player has taught me to be always committed to the undertakings of the team and always keep the team members well informed about any new information that is deemed to be helpful to the entire team. All these lessons show the real value of understanding the specific meaning of being a team player in life.
Works Cited
Gewertz, Bruce L., and Dave C. Logan. The Best Medicine: A Physician’s Guide to Effective Leadership. New York: Springer, 2015. Print
Jenkinson, Josie, Clare Oakley, and Fiona Mason. "Teamwork: the art of being a leader and a team player." Advances in psychiatric treatment 19.3 (2013): 221-228.
Morton, Linda H., and Janet Weinstein. "Teamwork." Faculty Scholarship. Paper 162, 2015. Print
