BLOG

The Talented Team Player: A Review of The Corner Office

In marketing and PR, attention is often focused on the ability to write the perfect press release or successfully pitch the media to secure a placement. Not often is attention paid to the art of working in teams – a fundamental skill all those in marketing and PR should possess in order to be effective.

Being a team player leads to added creative brainpower and more productive results. However, the ability to work with peers in a constructive way is often challenging, time consuming and requires a great deal of compromise.

Adam Bryant, author of the New York Times column Corner Office, interviewed dozens of CEOs to get their input on what qualities foster the ideal team player. Here are a few key takeaways:

Nothing is more important than the ability to deliver what is expected of you, when it is expected of you. No surprises, no excuses. Being reliable is the cornerstone of being a team player.

Just like in sports, it is imperative to cover your position consistently, but the best players are the ones who are able to spot the opportunities to score a goal or steal a base. Don’t be afraid to be a playmaker–– your team will appreciate your ideas and forward thinking.

While it may seem straightforward, team objectives should be established and discussed often to ensure everyone has a common goal. It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle of everyday business operations, but keeping objectives at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts, will keep team members focused and stimulated.

In many industries, including marketing and PR, teams are in constant rotation. The ability to work in ad hoc teams and adjust to different personalities, different managers and different work styles will make life a whole lot easier. How do you do this? A good start is by applying the three steps above with each new team!

I would recommend this book as a must-read for anyone in PR and marketing. Corner Office demonstrates the importance of being a team player, and offers valuable advice on how to be most effective while working as a team.

Are you ready to implement your team smarts? Set, GO!

Kristen Filippini
Zer0 to 5ive Strategist
Twitter: @krissyfilippini