We all spend too much time in traffic - so as you're sitting in the latest piece of congestion you might as well learn something - right? Take a few minutes and actively observe how drivers interact with each other. I have come to the conclusion that there are two types of drivers. . .and they personify two entirely different types of team players.
The first type of driver is one who believes that the road exists for the good of all who use it, and to that end, they conduct their driving with the idea of not only getting to their own destination, but also with the sense that their actions can help everyone on the road get home safely and sanely.
This is the driver who lets people in, who is willing to cede a little bit of ground for the common good. This is the driver who takes action guided by not only what is good and safe for their own vehicle and occupants, but what is in the best interest of all who share the road.
And then there's the driver whose only thought is how fast they can get to their destination; they are not concerned with an orderly flow, safety of others or even the rights of others. They will crowd ahead of everyone else, not give an inch and use the car horn as if it were an extension of their own voicebox.
Therein you have allegories for types of players in the office. Those who will work together and make things happen for the ultimate good; and those who are so interested in just getting to their own goals and fulfilling their own needs that they disregard the needs of anyone else.
Who would you rather share the road with? Who would you rather work with? Who do you trust?
Moreover (and you have experienced this while driving) someone cuts you off, refuses to let you in, cuts in where they shouldn't and guess what? At the next stop light, they really aren't any further ahead than you. Or, perhaps even better, you sail by while they are spending time at the side of the road with that nice patrol officer.
Same is true in the workplace; people delude themselves into believing that selfishly unaware behavior gets them ahead, but in the end, they are disrespected and really, no further ahead. Team players in the workplace who prove, by their actions, that they are aware of a shared responsibility help everyone get to their goals.
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Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available on Amazon Kindle for e-readers, PCs and tablets. http://www.amazon.com/Courageous-Questions-Confident-Leaders-ebook/dp/B0095KPA6A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374103502&sr=1-1&keywords=courageous+questions%2C+confident+leaders
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