How to Be a Great Teammate

Credit: Creative Commons (familymwr)

For someone to be effective in ministry--whether as a volunteer or as a paid staff member--it is essential to be a good teammate. As a youth pastor, I'm a part of several teams: Our pastoral staff, our youth ministry staff across three campuses, and our campus' high school volunteer team to name a few. I've worked with a lot of great teammates through the years and some not-so-good ones. I've also learned from my own mistakes along the way. I know that when you're on a team working toward a goal, having great teammates can make all the difference in whether the goal gets accomplished and if everyone has fun in the process. Here are some ways you can be a great teammate:

Have fun. If you're going to be on a team, it might as well be a fun one. Sure, not every part of ministry is fun and games, but that doesn't mean that you can't have fun. Smile. Laugh. Our staff has "break time" just about every morning in our staff break room. There are many days when I don't feel like I have a few minutes to get away from my desk, but I know it's important to just sit as a team and enjoy a few moments together.

Return messages promptly. I admit I have learned the hard way on this one. It's easy to get busy and to forget to return a phone call, email, or text. Find a way to return messages the same day, if possible. I've found that if I can't return a message from a teammate right away, it helps to put it in my phone or Outlook as a task. People feel valued and appreciated as a teammate when you make an effort to get back to them in a timely manner. After all, they called/emailed/texted you for a reason, so it will help them out to be able to speak with you sooner rather than later.

Apologize. You're going to mess up. Whether it's a big "oops" (like forgetting to follow through on an important task) or a small "oops" (like forgetting to return a call), apologize. We're all human, we all make mistakes, and that's just a part of being on a team. So, when you mess up, own it. Oh, and when someone else messes up? You need to be willing to accept their apology, too.

Encourage, applaud, and support. Make sure you go out of your way to notice when your teammates are doing a great job. Praise your teammates in the presence of other people in your church. And if a teammate needs some encouragement through a tough time, send an email to let them know you're praying for them. It may not seem like much to you, but it might make a world of difference to a teammate to know that you're on their side.

Chip in where you can. One of the pastors at our church asks me at least twice a week, "What can I do for you today?" and he means it. Whether you're a paid staff member or on a volunteer team, be willing to help someone else out with their responsibilities when you can. Don't be so involved in your own tasks that you can't extend a helping hand to someone who might be swamped with their work or a little behind on a Sunday morning.


QUESTION: What are some other ways to be a good teammate?

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