Characteristics of a Team Player We all fit into different niches. Each of us must make the effort to contribute to the best of our ability according to our own individual talents. And then we put all the individual talents together for the highest good of the group. Thus, I valued a player who cared for others and could lose himself in the group for the good of the group. I believe that quality makes for an outstanding player. It is also why the best players don’t always make the best team. I mean by this that a gifted player, or players, who are not team players will ultimately hurt the team, whether it revolves around basketball or business. Understanding that the good of the group comes first is fundamental to being a highly productive member of a team.

The synergy of a group is as important — if not more important — than the talent of the individuals.

To collaborative team members, completing one another is more important than competing with one another.

The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.

Teams win when their individual members trust each other enough to prioritize team success over individual glory; paradoxically, winning as a team is the best way for the team members to achieve individual success.

Seek Players Who Will Make the Best Team Rather Than the Best Players.

Instead of trying to be great, be part of something greater than yourself.

I love teamwork. I love the idea of everyone rallying together to help me win.

The ability of a group of people to do remarkable things hinges on how well those people pull together as a team.

A company is a team effort and, no matter how high an employee’s potential, you cannot get value from him unless he does his work in a manner in which he can be relied upon.

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.

Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.

Getting your people to think “Team First” is vital. It starts when you teach each member of the group how she or he contributes to the organization, when you make each one feel connected to the team’s efforts, productivity, and ultimate success.

…it is so much better to work for others than for one's self alone.