It has been some 12, 000 years or more since humans began to move beyond their hunter gatherer lives. They identified the need to saving and planting seeds. It created an observance of season-to-season stability. They could concentrate on building communities. The development of agricultural systems allowed them to not only survive, but also flourish in the lands where they settled. According to a global food and agriculture entity, "with each generation improving upon the previous, these ingenious systems have brought with them the indigenous knowledge of the centuries".
What makes someone a good member of a community, a family, a workplace, an organization? There are some identifiable characteristics that stand out. We see it every day among our members and supporters. Pscyhology Today listed some of these qualities and we are sharing them because we so appreciate everything that our members bring to the table. Thank you for being a member and supporting agriculture in all of its local diversity.
1. Honest and Straightforward. A good team member is up front. You can count on a good team member to tell you what’s what, regardless of whether it is good news or bad news.
2. Shares the Load. A good team member does his or her fair share of the work. There is a sense of equity and fairness in the good team member. A sense of equity is critically important for team members’ collective motivation.
3. Reliable. The good team member can be counted on. She or he ( or the committee) meets deadlines and is on time.
4. Fair. A good team member takes appropriate credit, but would never think of taking credit for someone else’s work.
5. Complements Others’ Skills. An important characteristic of effective work teams is the shared capacity. Every member has areas of strength and some weak spots. A good team member provides some unique skills and/or knowledge that move the team forward.
6. Good Communication Skills. Teamwork is social, so good team members need to be skilled, and tactful, communicators.
7. Positive Attitude. No one would ever follow a pessimistic leader, and the same goes for team members. A positive, “can-do” attitude is critical for the good team member.
( Credit to Psychology Today.com)