Knowing how to take care of our team means to be in touch, to care, to consider, to take interest, to devote, to put oneself in others’ shoes, to show empathy, to demonstrate to the members of the team that they’re recognized in their individuality beyond their role, their responsibilities and their performance.

These work well when they’re momentary attention and not a sustained psychological follow-up, or worse, when they create a dependent relationship. We must not exaggerate and we must make sure that this care does not absorb the team’s energy.

All team members can offer care and can receive it – the given attention circulates with fluidity. It doesn’t follow hierarchy and allows to give and to receive simultaneously.

Be careful in how you communicate your expertise; you don't want others to see you as arrogant or as a know-it-all. Stay humble about your accomplishments, and develop your emotional intelligence, so that you can communicate in a sensitive way and be truly appreciated (and not only needed) by your team members.

Emotions routinely swirl within us, and they aren’t easily named. It may be useful to stop, examine them,

and try to put them into words. When we label an emotion, it makes it more manageable.

It might not change the emotion, but it does allow us the possibility of choosing our response.

One important advice about earning the respect of the people around you:  

Be patient and be careful. Like a great tree, it can take many years for respect to grow, yet only moments for it to be lost forever.

Whatever our role or function, being the one who, despite having too much work, does everything, worries about all the details, pitches in and therefore doesn’t delegate, unwillingly communicates inability, insecurity and mistrust towards his colleagues.

 Sometimes, we could avoid bending over backwards if only we could delegate some of our tasks and ask for help.

Do you want to be an active, effective team member and earn respect from your coworkers and your bosses?  Here are two things you have to do:

1. Be good at what you do

If you want respect for what you do, you have to be good at what you do. Find a niche where you can become The best, then be an insatiable student and become an expert.

2. Be a go-to person

Be the person that people turn to when they are looking for help. Be honest, walk your talk, and make a point to be interested about the people around you.

To work together successfully, team members must demonstrate a sense of cohesion. Cohesion emerges as team members exhibit the following skills:

Openness

Trust and self-disclosure

Support

Respect

Besides knowing how to develop a healthy group climate, team members also need to know how to function so that they are productive and accomplish their tasks effectively. An effective process will emerge as team members exhibit these skills:

Individual responsibility and accountability

Constructive Feedback

Problem solving

Management and organization

Knowledge of roles

For a team to function effectively, team members must attend to both the climate and the process.

A single person with a poor attitude – someone who is chronically negative – can destroy the morale of an entire team if left unchecked. If that person reports to you, deal with it at once. If it’s your teammate, ask him (her) to stop. If it’s you, think about how much your complaining is harming your team, your reputation and your future.

Sometimes it’s the fault of the person completing the assignment, but more frequently, it’s the fault of the person giving the assignment.  Clarity (or lack of) is often the culprit.

Clarity of objective – What exactly is it that needs to be done?  Is the assignment as clear as it ought to be? 

Clarity of responsibility – Whose assignment is it?  Who does what?

Clarity of time – How quick is quick?  Is it a day? A week? By a specific date? 

Clarity of communication – What is intended is not always what is understood by the other.  Delegations repeatedly fail due to faulty communication. 

While those executing an assignment have the responsibility to deliver a quality result, those making the delegation have the responsibility to ensure that the assignment is clear.

We often get locked into arguments that hook our ego into trying to triumph over the other person (client, colleague, superior ...).  It is not a Poker game and engaging in these battles will limit your options at work.

The spread of open-plan offices and encouraged down-time is not just about keeping staff happy. It is about getting the best out of each other. If you know the informal network in your workplace it is easier to share vital knowledge and helps you calibrate your approach.

Do not bombard your collaborators with useless email. If your exchanges go over three emails, think about changing your communication channel. A phone call or a meeting could be more efficient.

« He who speaks sows, he who listens reaps.” This Japanese saying reminds us of the importance of practicing active listening. The key element of good listening is to understand the interlocutor; it will allow you to know more about others and will facilitate successful collaboration with them.

The quality of our social interactions, be they professional or personal, greatly determine the quality and efficiency of a team, a network, an organization or a family.