8 Ways to Become a Better Team Member

by | 3 Feb 2025

So much effort is placed on the role of the Team Leader. While there’s no doubt this is super important, there’s a lot that you can do as a team member to influence the health and productivity of your team. I love and believe totally in the TEAM acronym – Together Everyone Achieves More. When you develop your understanding of what behaviours will benefit team cohesion, harmony and productivity, then you can play your part to bring better outcomes about and help others do the same. And yes you can do this without being the leader of the team.

Ineffective and Effective Teams

It’s rare that teams can automatically become high performing. Teams need to understand what makes them effective. By doing this, individuals will then understand and be able to develop the knowledge and skills to be an effective team member. The following table shares what to stop doing and what to start doing to ensure you up your game and contribute to an effective team.

Ineffective TeamsEffective Teams
Goals are set and imposed by the leader via one-way communication. Ideas and feelings are not expressed – they are suppressed.Goals are clarified, modified and structured cooperatively via two-way communication.  Ideas and feelings are expressed safely.
Authority rules. One leader dictates how the team will operate and what each team member will do.The power of leadership is shared.
Decisions are made by the highest in authority and disagreement is ignored. Quick compromises are often made.Decisions are made by those who are in the situation and discussion prior to decision making is encouraged.
Conflict is managed via avoidance and lack of input from those involved. Conformity is promoted and cohesion / working together is ignored.Conflict is managed and resolved through discussion, understanding of difference and reaching agreement.
Lack development and emotional maturity.Value working together and believe that a team is better than one person.
Decision making lacks process and can be made on ego.  Non technical skills are lacking.Everyone understands how decisions are made and exercise a balance of technical and non-technical skills.
Conflict is avoided.Conflict is recognised and team members are encouraged to communicate to solve the problem. Ie that is to play the problem not the person
The team stumbles as each team member doesn’t understand the value of others in their team.Team members value difference and recognise their own and the expertise of others. They encourage people to share their expertise while being honest about their own.

Over to You

I hope you’ve gained some insights about what makes an effective team. Check the Effective Teams side of the table above. Which ones resonate the most? What are you going to do about them? Remember it’s up to you to develop and implement new behaviours as a team member. So, what are you waiting for? Please take one or two or maybe even three things from the Effective Teams side and step up your behaviour today. Good luck. And please feel free to reach out to me here if you think I can help in any way.

Until next time!

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About the Author

Jo Eady

Jo Eady

I’m a leadership specialist, a human centred facilitator and a modern day storyteller. I live in Victoria, Australia. For the past two decades I’ve developed and facilitated a range of leadership initiatives, strategies and programs and have coached many across Australia’s agricultural and rural sectors. I love being a change agent and my key motto right now is courage over comfort. I support others to develop their own leadership essence and shine from the inside out.