6 Things Great Teammates Say

By. Matt Monge

Human and team dynamics are complex, but not necessarily all that complicated sometimes. Building a positive team and organizational environment isn’t like decoding the Rosetta Stone. Much of it boils down to normal people like you and me saying and doing simple things every day. It’s those things that contribute to that positive environment.

Here are a few things great teammates say on a regular basis. Obviously the point isn’t that you’re saying these things verbatim, or that you’re regurgitating them a certain number of times per day; but rather that we’re communicating these sorts of things to our teammates.

1. I was wrong.

You’re not perfect. You know it. Your team knows it. So why go to such great lengths to hide it? Some part of our brain tells us that admitting we’re wrong will cause people to lose respect for us, when in reality the opposite usually occurs. It builds trust. It shows humility, maturity, self-awareness, vulnerability, and humanness.

2. I’m sorry.

If you do dumb stuff as often as I do (and I hope for your sake you don’t), you’re cringing like I am at this one. I don’t know why it is, but some part of our brain (maybe the same one from above) will find any excuse not to apologize to someone for something. And on the off-chance that doesn’t work, that brain of yours will concoct an apology that’s also some sort of accusation at the same time, just more subtle. Like, “I’m sorry I screamed at you, insulted your family, threw spaghetti at you, and kicked over your potted plant; but you really upset me when you….”

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