A manager said to me, “Amina is not a team player.”

“What is your opinion based on?” I asked.

“She is not always agreeable and she seldom volunteers for certain action items.” 

When I asked Amina about her commitment to the team, she responded. “My manager thinks a good team player supports all his ideas without questioning them, even the off-centered ones.  And he sometimes thinks I should take on tasks that I have not been trained to do.” 

Some managers, under the guise of teamwork, suppress both team chemistry and performance.

Filling in, helping others, mutual respect, absolute trust and shared recognition are effective team behaviors and they can be immensely rewarding. Team players put team goals ahead of their personal ambitions, and they willingly make sacrifices for the good of the team. 

However, good team members also offer their opinions even when they differ with the boss, and they may be reluctant to volunteer for tasks they are not qualified to perform.

Anti-team players, on the other hand, display an attitude, of “What’s in it for me?” as they frequently put their personal gain ahead of team needs. They are also quick to make excuses and blame others when things go awry.