What is means when you are asked: Are you a team player?

Team work is key in every business.  As Bill Flemming, president of Skanska USA Building Inc., says "Business is not an individual sport. I see many leaders who are somewhat egoistic. To me, it's more about the team."   Flemming acknowledged early on that even as president he was part of the team and it's integral to Skanska's culture.

I can guarantee with 100% certainty on interviews you will be asked in some manner:  Are you a team player?  No one would be foolish enough to say no of course but what are interviewers  trying to understand about you when they ask this type of question? In a word: Commitment. 

Commitment ignites action. It means you have beliefs, know how to articulate them and practice your beliefs consistently.  Interviewers want to understand what your commitments are to determine if you are a good fit for the organization.

The first step in your interview preparation is understanding your commitments.  Ask yourself:

• Why you want to be part of the company.
• What will make you show up at work every day.
• What drives you.  (Hint: the answer is not you're driven by the team or company's success. This is about what drives you—the individual.)
• What you see as your responsibilities to a team. 

The second step is telling a story that highlights your commitments. The college students and grads I coach know that telling a story is the most powerful skill you can master. It helps you stand out from other candidates and be remembered, it's a more persuasive and trusted way to demonstrate your strengths and accomplishments or as in this instance your commitments.

Here's an example from one of my clients that demonstrates his commitments.

While in school I was hired as the assistant manager of a very busy, locally-owned café staffed with other college students.  I learned quickly that the two owners had opposing points of view on how the café  should be manage.  The distrust and confusion among the staff meant people didn't show up to work on time; sometimes missing their shifts completely or they didn't clean tables quickly during rush times or other duties important to working in a food establishment.  The staff simply didn't care.  But I did. My parents owned a restaurant that I worked in all through school. So for me the job was less about the pay check and more about being proud of the work I did regardless of the work. I started doing what my parents had shown me.  At the beginning of a work shift we met to discuss not just what each person was assigned to but to openly talk about issues with the owners present. It took time but with all of us working on this together were able to convert distrust into understanding and confusion into clear operating procedures. We improved communication and cooperation, and consequently improve customer service. 

The next time you are asked are you a team player understand what you are really being asked and then tell the interviewer a story to make your commitments tangible.