Does it hold up? The Ideal Team Player is Hungry, Humble and Smart

Shortly after Patrick Lencioni’s Ideal Team Player was published, I wrote a piece explaining and extolling the virtues of Hunger, Humility, and People Smarts. These concepts hold up well, and I haven’t lost my passion for talking about them.

I hire for them. I’ve counseled others on how to hire for them. These concepts frequently weave their way into my trainings.

People especially appreciate exploring the archetypes related to missing one of the qualities; the Lovable Slacker who isn’t quite as hungry, the Accidental Mess-maker who isn’t quite people-smart, and the Skillful Politician who isn’t all that humble.

At first, we have fun talking (anonymously, of course) about the people we know who fit those types, but after some discussion, we all realize that we’ve had moments where we fit into one of those ourselves.

The resources are still available online, and I still recommend the book on a regular basis. If you want better team players, check it out: Leaders and The Ideal Team Player.