How to Be a Valuable Member of a Development Team
Working in a team environment is common for developers, and being a great team member is essential. In addition to the skills mentioned in the last module—empathy, openness to new technologies, separating yourself from your code, and being open to changing your mind—here are a few more characteristics that make a good team member:
Willingness to Ask for and Provide Help: A good team member isn’t afraid to seek assistance from others and is equally willing to offer help to their colleagues.
Avoiding Disparaging Remarks About Code: Criticizing code in a way that makes others feel bad should be avoided. This includes code written in the past and in old projects that you may need to maintain. Keep in mind that you may not be aware of all the constraints the developers faced, so it’s not appropriate to judge their code. Remember, you are not your code, but people may still have emotional attachments to their work.
Leadership Flexibility: A good team member is adept at both taking on a leadership role and following the guidance of others. They can adapt to various situations and support their team in whatever way is necessary.
Collaboration and Seeking Opinions: Working in isolation is not ideal. Instead, collaborate with team members as much as possible. Ask for their opinions, review their work, and engage in discussions. This fosters a stronger team dynamic and encourages diverse perspectives.
Trust and Trustworthiness: A good team member trusts their colleagues to make the right decisions and behaves in a way that establishes and maintains trust. It’s essential to foster an environment where it’s okay to fail because failures offer valuable learning opportunities.
Effective Communication: Communication is key. A good team member is not just an excellent communicator in offline settings but also in online tools like email and issue trackers. Clear and concise communication helps to avoid misunderstandings and keeps everyone on the same page.
Time Management and Setting Boundaries: A good team member is skilled at setting boundaries and estimating how much time a task will take. By doing so, they enable others to adjust their schedules accordingly and maintain efficient project management.
Delegation Skills: A good team member knows how to delegate tasks to other team members when appropriate. Effective delegation not only helps distribute the workload but also showcases trust in the capabilities of others.
Recognizing and Complimenting Great Work: A good team member acknowledges and compliments their colleagues when they do exceptional work. Celebrating achievements fosters a positive team culture and boosts morale.
Tags: team collaboration, communication skills, leadership flexibility, trustworthiness, time management, delegation skills