When I was first learning to play water polo, a coach told me something I’ve never forgotten. He said, “Great players make everyone around them look like great players.” A great player can catch any pass, anticipating imperfect throws and getting into position. When they make a return pass, they throw the ball so that the other person can make the catch easily.
A 10x engineer isn’t someone who is 10x better than those around them, but someone who makes those around them 10x better.
Over the years I’ve combined my personal experience with research about building and growing effective teams and turned that into a list of 10 ways to be a better teammate, regardless of position or experience level. While many things on this list are general pieces of advice for how to be a good teammate, there is an emphasis on how to be a good teammate to people from diverse backgrounds.
10 Ways to be a Better Teammate
- Create an environment of psychological safety
- Encourage everyone to participate equally
- Assign credit accurately and generously
- Amplify unheard voices in meetings
- Give constructive, actionable feedback and avoid personal criticism
- Hold yourself and others accountable
- Cultivate excellence in an area that is valuable to the team
- Educate yourself about diversity, inclusivity, and equality in the workplace
- Maintain a growth mindset
- Advocate for company policies that increase workplace equality
Read more at Kate Heddleston’s blog
