This is a book review on The Ideal Team Player By Patrick Lencioni.
Another great business lesson is taught through a fable. Helps give background to the attributes that make a great teammate and a sample of the process to deduce whether they are a team player (as best as possible) before you hire. Lots of people are great interviewers so it can be hard to know then but the folks that aren’t a right fit or people the kind of teammates will sort itself out if the standard is upheld throughout the company and throughout time – the ideals are not a one-time thing to do and the attributes are not part of a checklist. You have them or you don’t and if you don’t, you work towards them or you need to move on. We aren’t perfect but trust, accountability (part of the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team), and a willingness to strive to be better will get you to your best. I felt a bit of the Gap and the Gain in this story too – appreciate the progress while trying to be better.
Bryan’s Takeaways from the Book:
The ability to work effectively with others, to add value within the dynamics of a group endeavor, is more critical in today’s fluid work than it has ever been.
Leaders who can identify, hire, and cultivate employees who are humble, hungry, and smart will have a serious advantage over those who cannot.
The 3 Virtues: humble, hungry, and smart team members
—-> Smart isn’t just intellect. Very much how you interact with clients, subordinates, bosses, vendors, etc.
—-> 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.
Humility is the single greatest and most indispensable attribute of being a team player.
Two types of people who lack humility: overly arrogant and those who lack self-confidence. Both have insecurity
“Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” CS Lewis
A healthy hunger is a manageable and sustainable commitment to doing a job well and going above and beyond when it is truly required.
Be careful as hunger can easily be faked in an interview.
