The Topaz sales philosophy and a segment of our sales hiring process are modeled after the key attributes of humble, hungry, and smart from the book The Ideal Team Player. Being humble is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. Humble people aren’t seeking praise. They are more interested in achieving significant accomplishments than in getting awards. Hungry or ambitious people are constantly striving to achieve more accomplishments. Hungry people want more work so they can accomplish more. And they want more opportunities. More responsibilities make them feel good. They need very little motivation from their managers. They are self-motivated. Smart, in this sense, isn’t about intelligence but rather the way a person works and interacts with others. It’s being emotionally intelligent.
Publisher Summary: This latest fable is the story of a leader desperate to save his company by cracking the code on the virtues that define a true team player. Lencioni presents a powerful framework and easy-to-use tools for identifying, hiring, and developing ideal team players for any organization.
Key Takeaways from the Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
- The management team needs to take responsibility for a high employee turnover rate.
- According to Webster’s dictionary: A team player is a person who is more concerned about assisting a group of people in their success than achieving their own success.
- Most valuable team members are equally competent in each of the three team virtues of humble, hungry, and smart.
- Of the three team virtues, humbleness (humility) is the most important.
- To determine if a candidate has confidence or arrogance, interview in a setting that is not familiar to the person and put them outside their comfort zone. If they lack confidence, it will come out.
About the Author
Patrick M. Lencioni is president of The Table Group, a management consulting firm specializing in executive team development and organizational health. He is the author of ten best-selling books, including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The Advantage.
