MENLO PARK, CA -- When it’s the bottom of the ninth and the bases are loaded, every baseball team needs a player who can come through in the clutch. According to a new survey, workplace teams are no different. Forty percent of executives polled said meeting deadlines is the most important characteristic of a team player, up slightly from 37 percent in a similar poll conducted in 1997.

The national poll included responses from 150 senior executives -- including those from human resources, finance and marketing departments -- with the nation’s 1,000 largest companies. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.

Executives were asked, “Which one of the following is the single most important characteristic of being a team player?” Their responses:

“The term ‘team player’ has been used so frequently that it’s lost much of its meaning, but it essentially refers to honoring obligations and being supportive of coworkers,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies® (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). “These attributes have always been important, but they’re especially valuable now, given the amount of collaboration required in today’s workplace.”

Accountemps offers these tips for becoming your work team’s most valuable player:

• Develop a winning game plan. Set realistic goals and expectations by establishing roles and responsibilities for each member of the team up front.
• Keep your eye on the ball. Prioritize projects so you spend the majority of your time on activities that most directly affect the bottom line, rather than those you can easily check off of your to-do list. Take one for the team.
• Don’t play the blame game if something goes awry. Instead, focus on correcting the problem and moving forward. Your willingness to acknowledge mistakes when appropriate will encourage personal accountability in others.
• Play fair. Give credit where it is due, and be generous in your praise. Be sure to thank unsung heroes who contribute to a project’s success. Avoid throwing curveballs. Do your part to minimize office politics by engaging in open communication and fostering an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.

Accountemps has more than 350 offices throughout North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com.