Having been in the design and marketing industry for quite some time and having worked for various companies and on many different teams, I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way. Working in a team oriented environment can be tough, especially when each person in the group wants to implement their best ideas, show their worth to the group and have a strong impact on the project and company as a whole. If I had to compile my experiences into one valuable message and explain how anyone can be successful while working within a team oriented environment, it would be to practice Humility (i.e. the opposite of pride).

Throughout my experiences, the only way a team can flourish without any major issues is by each person showing an act of humility while working together. When working in groups of smart and creative people, you tend to run into issues where there’s “too many chefs in the kitchen” and things tend to get frustrating very quickly. Tempers flare, meetings sometimes gets heated, frustration run rampant etc. Granted, you can’t control the personalities of others, but by practicing humility throughout the course of a project, you will definitely have a lasting impact on others and how they perceive you.

This is very important because the last thing you want when working within a team is to be the person that no one likes and no one wants to work with. Your goal in the business world and in life should be to remain humble in all that you do so that people will naturally be attracted to you and want to work with you again and again and again. In other words, are you bearing good fruit on your team and within your company?

It’s like playing in a rock band

I’ve learned that playing a role on a team is sort of like playing in a rock band. Each person has their specific duties. Someone plays the drums, someone is the lead singer, another person plays the guitar, another plays bass – you get the point. The key message here is that each person needs to know their role. The drummer shouldn’t try to sing lead and the guitar player shouldn’t try to play the keyboard and sing lead on the songs. The guy playing the guitar shouldn’t want to play the keyboard, etc. This same rule applies to the workplace. If you’re the project manager, you shouldn’t try to be the designer and if you’re the designer, you shouldn’t try to be the project manager. Know your role and let everyone thrive at what they do best.

All of this points back to humility. Being humble means you won’t always get your way – but that’s ok. Remaining humble will get you further in the long run. You’ll be liked not only by everyone on your team, but the entire company. So staying within your role and remaining humble should be your main focus when working within a team. I guarantee, you’ll be less stressed at work, be liked by everyone you come in contact with, and succeed greatly within a team oriented environment.

Ok, I’ll stop preaching, back to work! (Big Smile)