A team sport

What do your best friends from college, your gym buddies, direct reports, and relatives all have in common? Well, other than the fact that they all know you, ;) they are all forms of teams. While you may not have considered some of these groups to be formal teams, it's important to realize that teams can look many different ways, but they all operate on several of the same relationship dynamics. Let's face it...life is best played as a team sport!

If you want to have successful relationships, whether that be in work, school, family, or play, here's 3 truths to keep in mind.

1. You get out what you put in
It's easy to critique a team experience for being unspectacular when maybe that's really an indication of the level of effort we've put in. No matter what relationship we're in, the more we invest into it, the more likely we are to receive a greater return.

Think about the teams that you're currently a part of. What could you do to be more engaged? How do you think that might improve your relationships and results?

2. Affirm what you want to see more of
Most people only speak up when something is wrong. Instead of just pointing out the problems, start drawing attention to what is going right. What gets celebrated gets repeated.

Go out of your way this week to compliment (even better if it's in front of others!) people on your teams who are doing a great job.

3. You can lead, even if you're not in charge
When we set a good example, people take notice regardless of your position on the team. A title is not required to have influence. Make it your goal to go above and beyond in delivering your best effort for the team. Not only will this often catch the leader's attention, you might gain more of their respect as well. Think about it, when a leader is looking to promote someone or get an opinion, they often choose the high achievers in the group.

What can you do to be a better team player this week?