top of page

Ideal Team Player: Part 1

Writer's picture: Brent StromwallBrent Stromwall
Team huddles outdoors in blue jerseys. Text above reads "IDEAL TEAM PLAYER PART 1." Background has blurred greenery.

Patrick Lencioni’s The Ideal Team Player introduces a simple but powerful framework for evaluating and developing your team members. At its core are three key virtues: Humble, Hungry, and Smart. These qualities dramatically influence how well your team functions day to day—and how effectively your organization scales.


Humble team players put the organization first. They don’t chase individual glory; instead, they focus on collective wins. A humble person actively listens, admits when they’re wrong, and celebrates others’ contributions. Lencioni labels a person who is not humble the Skillful Politician.


Hungry players bring consistent energy and drive. They take responsibility, embrace new

challenges, and don’t need external reminders to push forward. Instead of doing just enough,

they seek ways to add more value. Lencioni names the person who is not hungry a Loveable

Slacker.


Smart isn’t about raw IQ. It’s about emotional intelligence—knowing how to interact with

others gently and productively. Smart team members read the room, communicate clearly, and

help maintain a positive, trusting environment. Smart people value the relationship over fixing

the problem or being right. Lencioni tags the person who is not smart as an Accidental Mess-

maker.


Lencioni said, “Great leaders relentlessly remind their people of how to correct their behavior.”

And the leader must go first – allowing others to correct their behavior. Are you a leader who

possesses and demonstrates the Humble, Hungry, and Smart traits? Or, do others think of you

as a skillful politician, loveable slacker, or accidental mess-maker? And do you care enough to

change?


Do you have Ideal Team Players? Are you an Ideal Team Player? Let’s talk:

37 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating

Receive exclusive insights, tips and hacks straight into your inbox.

  • linkedin
  • twitter
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

©2024 Odigos, LLC

BOG Ribbon Banner.png
bottom of page