Increasingly due to the complexity of today's research problems, science and engineering research projects both in industry and academe are being accomplished through group rather than individual investigator efforts. Single investigators may not have the time, skills, and/or expertise to accomplish the various tasks that must be carried out successfully in order to successfully tackle the problem of interest. Working with a team requires a different skill set from that required in traditional single-investigator based research efforts. To be an effective team member it is essential to have good people skills and effective communication skills in addition to a strong technical skill set. Some useful guidelines for being an effective team member include:
- Respect Your Colleagues
- Be Responsible
- Communicate Effectively
- Conflict is Inevitable
- Give Credit Where Credit is Due