So, You Want to be Part of a Great Team?

Joe Bertotto -

The answer to that question, while not easy, is simple: If you want to be on a great team, be a great teammate!

There are many ways to do that, and they can help you set the tone for your team. Here are a few key behaviors to set you on your way to greatness:

  • Be kind
  • Be supportive
  • Be competent

Being kind means not complaining or gossiping. Many employees complain about their colleagues. Often when an error is made, it garners a great deal of scrutiny and emphasis; yet when a task is done correctly, it’s passed over because, “that’s the way it should be.” While it’s true that work should always be completed accurately, when it isn’t, our default response should be to give others the benefit of the doubt.

Being supportive means consistently asking ourselves one simple question – what can I do to make the situation better? What would happen if every person in the department or at the credit union asked that question when facing any situation? Great teammates are proactively there for their co-workers.

Underneath all of this kindness and support is the need to be competent. When we work to master our craft and be the best we can be, we provide great value to our team and our members, which enhances the reputation of the credit union. Mastering our job also means we keep learning. That might look like studying our products, seeking feedback on the level of service we provide and deconstructing our successes.

In a nutshell, great teammates give the benefit of the doubt to others, ask what they can do to make every situation better and always strive to keep learning.

Stay Tuned!
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a great manager in the eyes of your employees? Stay tuned for part two of this “So, you want to be…” series coming in March!

Joe Bertotto has more than three decades of experience helping leaders improve their workplace cultures. He is the chief culture officer at Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union and a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. In 2014, Joe was named a Credit Union Rock Star by Credit Union Magazine. He also recently published his book, Pick Up the Gum Wrapper: How To Create a Workplace That Increases Performance While Improving Lives, which credit union leaders have been using as a guide to increase the effectiveness of their leadership skills and overall culture.