The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and
Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues
Lencioni, Patrick M.
The Fable
“I don't want you to be ready, Jeff. I want you to be excited. And a little
nervous. That's good for you.”
“First, we go figure out how to recognize a real team player, the kind of
person who can easily build trust, engage in healthy conflict, make real
commitments, hold people accountable, and focus on the team's results.
admit when they're wrong and to hold each other accountable.
we play like a unit. No all-stars.
the kind who come to practice wanting to work as hard as they can to avoid
losing.
makes someone a team player? Or just a good person?”
he hated when kids on his team were focused on their own stats, or on how
much time they played.
“They have to do with having no ego, working really hard, and knowing how
to deal with people.”
We need to hire people who are hungry. They go beyond what is required.
Passionate about the work they're doing. Hungry.”
It just means a person has to know how to act and what to say and what not
to say. People smart.
if he doesn't eat, sleep, and breathe humility and hunger, there is no way all
the people working for him will.
couldn't believe that one man's decision not to take a job could lead intelligent
people to abandon their standards and principles so easily.
“Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's not right.”
Something that gives us a quick sense of whether she really wants to change
or has the capacity for it.”
Most training and development comes down to how much a person wants to
change.”
“Humble is pretty obvious. We can't abide big egos. Hungry is all about
working hard and being passionate about our work. And smart has to do with
being aware of the people around you and dealing with them in a positive,
functional way.”
“I'm going to need help from someone to get better.” She paused, and then
said the three most important words of all: “But I'll try.”
First, improvement was not an option. Second, they would have plenty of
support in their development. Third, if they decided to opt out, that would be
okay.
The Model
“the right people on the bus,” a euphemism for hiring and retaining
employees who fit a company's culture.
many leaders hire mostly for competency and technical skills.
Humility, which is the most important of the three,
Great team players lack excessive ego or concerns about status. They are
quick to point out the contributions of others and slow to seek attention for
their own. They share credit, emphasize team over self, and define success
collectively rather than individually. It is no great surprise, then, that humility is
the single greatest and most indispensable attribute of being a team player.
“Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
Insecurity makes some people project overconfidence, and others discount
their own talents.
Hungry people are always looking for more. More things to do. More to learn.
More responsibility to take on. Hungry people almost never have to be pushed
by a manager to work harder because they are self-motivated and diligent.
They are constantly thinking about the next step and the next opportunity. And
they loathe the idea that they might be perceived as slackers.
smart simply refers to a person's common sense about people. It has
everything to do with the ability to be interpersonally appropriate and aware.
Smart people tend to know what is happening in a group situation and how to
deal with others in the most effective way. They ask good questions, listen to
what others are saying, and stay engaged in conversations intently.
Smart simply refers to a person's common sense about people.
keep in mind that accurately identifying people as bulldozers, charmers,
pawns, accidental mess-makers, lovable slackers, or skillful politicians is not
always easy, and shouldn't be done flippantly.
the real purpose of identifying these types is not to pigeonhole people, but to
better understand what constitutes ideal team players so we can recognize or
develop them on our teams.
Ideal team players work with a sense of energy, passion, and personal
responsibility, taking on whatever they possibly can for the good of the team.
If you have a doubt about a person's humility, hunger, or smarts, don't ignore
it. Keep probing. More often than not, there is something causing that doubt.
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The first and most important part of helping that person become hungry is to
find a way to connect her to the importance of the work being done. Until this
is accomplished, a manager cannot expect much change.
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while it is also important to set performance targets and goals for these
people, it's even more vital to clarify the behaviors you want from them.
A humble, hungry, and smart spouse, parent, friend, or neighbor is going to be
a more effective, inspiring, and attractive person—one that draws others to
them and serves others better.
