Introduction

The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three
Essential Virtues: A Leadership Fable

by Patrick Lencioni
John Wiley & Sons (US). (c) 2016. Copying Prohibited.
Reprinted for Angelo Guevara, Lockheed Martin Corporation

angelo.a.guevara@lmco.com
Reprinted with permission as a subscription benefit of Skillport,
http://skillport.books24x7.com/
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The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues: A Leadership Fable
Introduction
If someone were to ask me to make a list of the most valuable qualities a person should develop in order to thrive in the world of work—and for
that matter, life—I would put being a team player at the top. The ability to work effectively with others, to add value within the dynamics of a
group en-deavor, is more critical in today’s fluid world than it has ever been. Few people succeed at work, in the family, or in any social context
without it.
I’m sure that most people would agree with this, which is why it’s a little surprising that great team players are somewhat rare. I think the
problem is that we’ve failed to define what being a team player requires, which leaves the concept somewhat vague, even soft.
It’s not unlike teamwork itself, which still gets more lip service than practical attention. In my book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, I
explained that real teamwork requires tangible, specific behaviors: vulnerability-based trust, healthy conflict, active commitment, peer-to-peer
accountability, and a focus on results. Thankfully, with enough coaching, patience, and time, most people can learn to embrace those
concepts.
However, I must admit that some people are better at being team players, at embracing those five behaviors, than others. They’re not born that
way, but either through life experiences, work history, or a real commitment to personal development, they come to possess the three
underlying virtues that enable them to be ideal team players: they are humble, hungry, and smart. As simple as those words may appear, none
of them is exactly what they seem. Understanding the nuances of these virtues is critical for applying them effectively.
During the past twenty years of working with leaders and their teams, I’ve seen time and again that when a team member lacks one or more of
these three virtues, the process of building a cohesive team is much more difficult than it should be, and in some cases, impossible. We’ve
been using this approach for hiring and management at The Table Group since our founding in 1997, and it has proven to be a remarkable
predictor of success, as well as a reliable explanation of failure. As a result, we’ve come to the conclusion that these three seemingly obvious
qualities are to teamwork what speed, strength, and coordination are to athletics—they make everything else easier.
The ramifications of all this are undeniable. Leaders who can identify, hire, and cultivate employees who are humble, hungry, and smart will
have a serious advantage over those who cannot. They’ll be able to build stronger teams much more quickly and with much less difficulty, and
they’ll significantly reduce the painful and tangible costs associated with politics, turnover, and morale problems. And employees who can
embody these virtues will make themselves more valuable and marketable to any organization that values teamwork.
The purpose of this little book is to help you understand how the elusive combination of these three simple attributes can accelerate the
process of making teamwork a reality in your organization or in your life so you can more effectively achieve the extraordinary benefits that it
brings.
I hope it serves you well.
Page 2 / 2
Reprinted for QO4WH/134413, Lockheed Martin Corporation John Wiley & Sons (US), Patrick Lencioni (c) 2016, Copying Prohibited

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The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three

Essential Virtues: A Leadership Fable

Reprinted for Angelo Guevara, Lockheed Martin Corporation

All rights reserved. Reproduction and/or distribution in whole or in part in electronic,paper or

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