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Play Down Yourself and Build Up Others

September 27, 1999

"You'll never build the team by acting like a big shot - you do it by building your teammates.

Play the game in such a way that your presence makes the others perform at a high level.  Be a cheerleader.  Offer encouragement.  Slap your teammates on the back and tell them what a good job they're doing.  Point out their strengths.  Catch them doing things right.

Make it a habit to showcase others.  Get excited with them whey they pull off a success.  And when a compliment comes your way, consider giving part of the credit to your teammates.  Take pains to see that they feel important and appreciated.  Share the glory.

Help your teammates believe in themselves.  Build their confidence and self-esteem, and you bring genuine growth to the group.

Don't waste energy promoting yourself.  A self-important attitude puts a real strain on team relations.  Arrogance alienates others, and your job is to help pull the team together.

The fact is, only the admiration and respect you earn from others can make you a hero.  Build up others, and they'll end up singing your praises (Pritchett, 1992, pp. 33-34)".

Reference:  Pritchett, P. (1992).  The team member handbook for teamwork.   Dallas:  Pritchett & Associates

When is the last time you made an effort to showcase your teammates abilities?

* The Team Member Handbook for Teamwork is available on loan at the OSU Leadership Center.  A listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~leaders

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Created: 2009-01-06, Updated: 2009-01-16