Is 'Team Player' a dangerous term?

The term 'team player' is probably one of the most overused and dangerous terms in the hiring situation.

It's become so de rigueur that no job applicant would dare say they are not a team player.  However, do you always need a team player for every job?  And what is the downside of being a 'team player'?

If you're in an environment where you want people to take ownership of a project, to run with the ball to get it completed, someone who's a team player may not be a good candidate.

The term 'team player' might all too easily be hiding someone who cannot make decisions on their own, doesn't think independently, and likes to take a passive approach to their work.

We are all capable of sitting in a meeting room with our co-workers, agreeing with everybody else's opinions, and making ourselves sound like a great team player, but does that mean a person who exhibits those behaviors - which are very easy to produce - is actually good at supporting the team?

In situations where, for example, you have a backlog of work, a team player may be the last person you need.  Someone who likes to go off by themselves, tackle the job and get it done, may be a more ideal candidate.  But how will you find this person when every candidate who comes in for the interview feels obliged to say what a great team player they are?

And what is really the definition of a 'team player'?  If you look closely at what is really needed - as opposed to a phrase that is too easy to parrot - you need someone who can get along with other people when necessary, but can go it alone if needed.

Look at the world of sports and you will see how this works in winning teams. Good team players know when to support other people on the team and when they must literally carry or run with the ball to score a goal. In other words, they can do both.

For real success in hiring, it might be better to focus on the skills the person has and determine how they work on their own, leaving identifying their ability to work with the team for your reference checks.

For more insight into some of the pitfalls of hiring and how to avoid them, read my book Other People's Problems: Why You Need To Go On Interviewing Your Employees - After You Hire Them!

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