Recently, I read a book called “The Ideal Team Player” by Patrick Lencioni that really got me thinking. The book is written in a classic, parable style that really illustrates its point: what does it mean to be the ideal team player?

A question I hear a lot from people starting at our company is, “What does it take to be successful here?” In the past, I told them we looked for people with great work ethic and people who fit into the company culture.

Those things are still important, but now since reading Patrick’s book, I tend to follow his model. The three things he looks for are whether a potential employee is humble, hungry, and smart.

First, what does it mean to be humble? Well, we’ve all had experiences with one person or another who was simply nauseating with their ego. Ironically, this behavior is usually rooted in insecurity.

“What does it mean to be the ideal team player?”

On the other end of the spectrum, it’s also not good for an employee who is better than they realize to be too timid to lean into their talents. Striking a balance between utilizing talent but not becoming big-headed is key.

The second trait, hunger, includes not only work ethic but also a willingness to learn and grow. A person who is truly hungry for knowledge and growth will have a lot to offer for a company.

Finally, the third trait is to be smart. Here, the most important thing is to be specifically “people-smart.”  Being able to motivate and uplift the people around them is a sign of a person who will go far in their career.

These three great traits are really what defines a person as being the ideal team player. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.