HR & People Jargon · Intern level

"Team player"

"Team player" means someone who cooperates well with colleagues, prioritizes group goals, and does not create friction.

Say this instead: cooperative

How "Team player" shows up at work

Frequently appears in job descriptions as a way to screen for agreeableness, and in performance reviews as a quiet compliment that has almost no meaning. When it shows up as a concern ('not always a team player'), it usually means the person disagreed with someone senior.

Buzzword

We're looking for a team player who can collaborate across functions without much direction.

Plain English

We're looking for someone cooperative who can collaborate across functions without much direction.

Corporate Rank: Intern · Category: HR & People Jargon

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