These are the top 20 signs you’re not a ‘team player’

It’s official – there is an ‘I’ in team, according to one fifth of Brits who say they ‘are not team players’.

A study of 2,000 adults found half also said they often get ‘frustrated’ when working in a team and can achieve more personal success as a ‘lone wolf’.

However, the 38 per cent who believe they are team players think working in a group makes life ‘easier’ as there is less pressure on them as individuals.

It also emerged never making a tea round in the office, refusing to split the bill on a night out and not congratulating others on their success are among the top signs someone prefers to work alone.

But indications you are a team player include being happy to admit when you’re wrong, listening to other people’s ideas and giving credit to others if your team wins a game.

A spokesman from Foxtrail, which carried out the study to mark the launch of a new London trail, said: “Although a large number of adults prefer working alone, and claim to get a greater sense of achievement by doing so, actually the majority understand the benefit of being in a group.

“Working as a team can be so rewarding – whether in work or in play.

“Sometimes, sharing ideas and working as a collective, whether that’s in the home, on a night out, during a team task or in sports, is far more likely to get better results.

“And the camaraderie of being in a team can bring joy, excitement and fun to even the most arduous of tasks.”

Also on the list of signs you’re a team player are the ability to communicate effectively, offering to help out with other people’s workloads and making sure others are recognised for their efforts.

Sharing cleaning tasks in the house, pitching in ideas, and listening to friend’s problems also feature highly as traits of someone who works well as part of a group.

As do making a tea round at work, happily admitting you are wrong, and sharing valuable information instead of keeping it to yourself.

On the other hand, lone wolves are more likely to talk about themselves, blame others if their team loses and boss other people around.

Letting the door slam in other’s faces, declining to buy rounds in the pub and refusing to pass the ball during a sports game are also signs someone prefers to work alone.

It also emerged almost two thirds of adults feel it is important to be a team player in order to have friends, while 67 per cent say it is needed to be successful at work.

Brits would most likely work as part of a team in sports, at work and going on holiday, but prefer to be alone when shopping, at the gym and even at mealtimes.

And despite more adults getting a bigger sense of achievement when working alone than in a team – 24 per cent and 22 per cent respectively – 46 per cent prefer working in a group as it puts less pressure on them as an individual.

When it comes to ideal team-mates, more than half of those would always opt to team up with a friend, while 49 per cent would choose their partner.

Interestingly, a third of Brits polled by OnePoll.com would choose to work alongside colleagues above their siblings or parents.

A spokesman from www.Foxtrail.co.uk added: “The survey shows how important working in a team can be – and we know there are certainly some activities which simply can’t be carried out alone.

“The new London interactive trail is designed to bring people together, allowing them to explore parts of London they never knew existed while solving clues to get round the trail.

“It is certainly one of those tasks which can’t be completed alone.

“Team building activities can be great for corporate groups, but also for groups of friends and families.

“And we find some people who would place themselves in the ‘lone wolf’ category actually surprise themselves by getting a real sense of achievement by completing the trail with the help of others.”

TOP 20 SIGNS OF A TEAM PLAYER

1. Sharing responsibility
2. Encouraging others
3. Listening to other people’s ideas
4. Being reliable
5. Offering to help out with others’ workload
6. Offering help to people who are struggling
7. Making sure others are recognised for their efforts
8. Going out of your way to help others
9. Staying later at work to help team members
10. Communicating effectively
11. Negotiating instead of shooting down ideas
12. Sharing cleaning tasks in a shared house
13. Sharing valuable information instead of keeping it to yourself
14. Pitching in ideas
15. Sharing the credit if your team wins a game
16. Happily admitting when you’re wrong
17. Listening to friend’s problems
18. Making a tea round at work
19. Asking if anyone needs anything when you go to the shop
20. Paying your amount of bills in a shared house

TOP 20 SIGNS OF A LONE WOLF

1. Not pulling your weight in group tasks
2. Not listening to other people’s ideas
3. Taking the credit for something which was a team effort
4. Not interacting with co-workers
5. Only talking about yourself
6. Blaming others if your team loses
7. Believing it’s your way or the high way
8. Not congratulating others on their successes
9. Keeping good ideas to yourself
10. Not passing the ball to anyone else in sport
11. Bossing others around
12. Only trusting your own work
13. Never following the team leader
14. Never washing up in a shared house or office
15. Never asking anyone how they are
16. Refusing to split the bill when eating out
17. Letting the door slam in someone’s face
18. Refusing to accept help from others
19. Making a solo tea round at work
20. Refusing to buy rounds in the pub