Workplace Today - Player Be Ware

Are you a team player? Do you really know what this means?

I was recently on a long term consulting assignment as a project manager of an application. In the time I was there – I helped to lay the foundation data and capabilities for 2 user groups. When I arrived, the project had gone through numerous delays and over the course of almost 2 years – the company went through numerous process changes and run the gamut from no process to too much and back.

At the end of my term there – I was asked to be part of a “team” to deliver a broader range of capabilities to a bigger user group and deploy new data, new capabilities, and a new environment for this group – all within an improbable time frame. The deal was – there would be little or no formal process and a tight deadline. Turns out – being a team player means being subject to micro management, daily chaos, ego's with personal agendas and little knowledge about the subject they speak, de-motivating intimidation tactics by people who see themselves a leader offering unreasonable deadlines to other ego's who have no idea whats going on behind the scenes – promises made regardless the accuracy or quality of output.

As the project manager – I thought that my part of the team would be to determine if timelines and quality could be met…. Not so. Being a team player meant whatever the leader of the moment feels it to be.

And I do believe this happens all over the corporate world. Money and time are wasted at the hands of a few. The talkers talk - the do'ers try to make it happen. Those who survive shut up and do their best and when the deadline can't be met because true quality of delivery is not ready. More money is spent replacing those who appeared to be "nay sayers" and getting a new team back up to speed.

Next time you’re looking at a new job description – remember the translation of key terms “team player”, “attention to detail”, “do what it takes” – can mean more than you bargained for. I consider myself a team player and I expect my input as a professional with experience to be important to goal attainment. Not always so.

yeah, this was a little ranty