Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).
An untrustworthy team member can spoil and corrupt the collective character of a team. One team member can adversely impact the whole, can adversely impact the culture of the team you lead. Here are four indicators of an untrustworthy team member:
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Negative about everyone else
If the person talks negatively about everyone else, the person is speaking negatively of you too. And you are not the only one who knows this. In time, the entire team is hampered from open and honest discussions because trust is systematically destroyed.
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Always makes excuses
Continually making excuses is not merely a competence problem; it is a character flaw. Someone who continually shifts blame, who never owns a problem, and who never accepts accountability is not a person who can be trusted with responsibility.
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Never content
While we all have seasons of unrest and wrestling, the team member who is always asking for more, always hinting about leaving, always sending signals that he/she is not happy is simultaneously hurting the morale of the team. The Scripture reminds us “godliness with contentment is great gain.” Continual discontentment is a clear sign of an unhealthy character.
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Self-consumed
The person who views decisions through the lens of “How does this impact me?” cannot be trusted to make wise decisions that are for the good of the whole. When personal agendas trump the mission, the impact of the team is greatly diminished.
Leaders, of course, set the pace for their teams. So a leader who is negative, making excuses, discontent, and self-consumed will foster a culture where those traits are prominent. Before we look at those around us, we should look in the mirror and ask the Lord to search our hearts to reveal any offensive pattern in them.
