What’s good for the leader is good for the team. A strong leader with weak team, just as a strong team with a weak leader are destined for failure. If the goals and direction are not clear, if the team is not focused and putting sufficient effort towards the goal, it won’t be attained. I was only as good as the teams I managed, and I’d like to think I helped some of them grow. I’ve been very fortunate to have some Superstars and strong players on my teams, but I’ve also had some that did not succeed. Here’s a list that is not only from a leader’s perspective, but also considers the traits I observed in my Superstars. (You know who you are, too!)

1. Ten commandments
for teammates

2. THOU SHALT GIVE THY
BEST EFFORTEach DAY
Come to play everyday. You owe your employer, your managerand most importantly
YOURSELF your complete commitment and focused effort. You will neverknowwhat
you arecapable of if you give less than your best.

3. THOU SHALT LEAVE THINEEGO IN THE
PARKING LOT
It's notabout YOU. Your company has its goals, which your managerowns a small
piece of and gives you your share. TheBig Shots (C-Level leaders) speak the language
of RESULTS. That's what matters to them and drama gets in the way of driving results.

4. LISTEN AND LEARN
Part of your commitment is to continue to learn and grow professionally. You do that
by listening to yourself, your teammates and your manager (remember,your manager
has a responsibility to support and foster your growth).

5. THOU SHALT SPEAK
Don't sit silently in a team meeting. Contribute and share your observations. Pay
attention tothe SecondCommandment and share your challenges. Problems will
persist if you keepthem to yourself. Throw it out there, put some groupthink against
it and develop solutions.

6. THOU SHALT SHARE
Nobody has a monopoly ongood ideas. Don't keepyours to yourself; sharethem.
Being a contributing teammate is just like networking - it's what you GIVE to your
network that determines what you GET from it.

7. STAY OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Remain open-minded (Second Commandment) to coachingfrom your manager,
ideas your teammates may shareor for things you hearorread. (Seventh
Commandment) If you allow yourself to feel threatened by any of this, you close
yourself off to learning and may be driving your careeroff a cliff.

8. INVEST IN YOURSELF
Don't rely on your job, manager and teammates for your professional development.
Opportunities for learning are EVERYWHERE - blogs, LinkedIn Groups, and limitless
websites and e-zines. Commit yourself to continuous learning and you'll accelerate
your professional development, success and earnings.

9. WATCH YOUR METRICS
Don't bedismissive about your activity, goal orother metrics. You may not beready
to embrace them, but acceptand understand them as the diagnostic tools they are.
Your manager should help you to analyze them and what actions to take to movethe
needle in the right direction.

10. CHEER AND BE HUMBLE
Celebrate and praise thevictories of yourteammates, and accepttheir praise
gracefully. Take your Victory Lap in private, especially if you're nearthe top of the
stack rank. Lifting others when they are down will berewarded with loyalty and
returned support when you need it. And you will.

11. LIFE MATTERS MORE
In theend, a jobis a job – a means to support the life you want tolive. If everthe job
is negatively impacting that life, or fails to support it; you should consider a
change. Whether a change of job orfield, don’t settle for the status quo. You only get
one life and you deserve to behappy in it.