Great technical skills aren't enough anymore. Globalization and increased regulation are making business more complex and presenting multifaceted challenges to large and mid-sized businesses alike. To face them, companies are creating cross-functional teams that include professionals from a variety of disciplines.

"Cross-functional teams are becoming increasingly popular because they link the company's operational and strategic resources and they provide fluid, multi-functional problem-solving disciplines," says Paul Ruwoldt, mid-level trainer and consultant for Training Resources Group, Inc., a management consulting and training firm in Arlington, Va. "Technically trained employees such as those in IT are now being required to wear their operational hats and then lend their expertise to one of these teams, either as an intermittent subject-matter expert or as a standing team member."

So, by augmenting your IT skills with team skills, you can take advantage of the opportunity to strut your stuff by serving on a cross-functional team. The payoff? It just might land you that new job or promotion.

Great Team Players

What are the talents you need to make the most out of your involvement on a team. You should be:

1. An Effective Role Player

Every member of the team has a part to play. Some provide emotional or social support, others provide technical expertise, but there can only be one leader. Know your role and play it. Don't try to take over someone else's.

2. Comfortable with Ambiguity

Because they're creating new solutions, teams often operate in uncharted waters. Avoid frustration by preparing for this upfront and expect the solution will most likely evolve over time, not be ordained.

"In IT you work in a very disciplined environment, so that's where an IT professional is naturally most comfortable" observes Max Copley, general manager for Copley & Associates, an IT services and consulting firm based in Orange County, Calif. "It can be a challenge to work on a team, because they often operate under less structure."

3. Flexible

You won't get your way all the time, so learn to compromise and pick your battles. Also, don't get stressed-out if things don't go well all the time. It's common to face resistance, especially if you're proposing change within the organization, so the team might have to make some solution adjustments along the way. Endurance, rather than speed, is the mantra of effective team players.

4. Supportive of the Team Goal

Being a good team member means putting the team's goals first, your individual goals second. If the team succeeds, you'll be recognized for your contributions. If you're viewed as someone who is only out for themselves, you can damage your career rather than help it. And don't forget to volunteer for assignments.

5. A Consensus Builder

Because there's little to no hierarchy within project team structures, decisions aren't mandated: They're reached collaboratively. Use persuasion and one-off conversations with other team members to help build consensus, and be sure and ask others for their input.

6. An Excellent Communicator

It's important to offer up suggestions, but don't hog the floor. Contribute something at every meeting and make sure you're listening at least 80 percent of the time. If you're a technical subject-matter expert serving on a cross-functional team, explain concepts in a way that everyone can understand.

Be sure to document your team playing prowess. Make notes each time you return from a meeting, because you want to be able to cite specific examples of your capabilities during performance reviews and interviews. Also, be a presenter or to brief upper management if the opportunity presents itself, and be sure to build relationships with other team members.

And remember: Although the team player label might seem like a cliché, it has real value: Very few people have learned to play well.

Leslie Stevens-Huffman is a freelance writer based in Irvine, Calif. who has more than 20 years experience in the staffing industry.