CONTENTS Cover Also by Patrick Lencioni Title Page Copyright Dedication Introduction The Fable Part One: The Situation Enough Bob Transition Part Two: Diagnosis The Ropes Disclosure When It Rains Committed The Plunge Drama Gallows Humor First Meeting Regrouping Getting Messy The Hammer Research Two Sides Fine-Tooth Comb Part Three: Discovery Clarity Self-Assessment Coach Ben Forensics Addition by Addition Shortcuts Ted Reactions Part Four: Implementation Juggling Ted Again Debrief Digging Names Naked Points of Reference The Call Angst Darkness First Light Nancy Part Five: Indicators Re-Interviewing About a Week Later About a Month Later About Six Months Later About a Year Later The Model The Three Virtues of an Ideal Team Player Defining the Three Virtues Humble Hungry Smart The Three Virtues Combined The History of the Model The Ideal Team Player Model The Categories Application Application #1: Hiring Application #2: Assessing Current Employees Application #3: Developing Employees Who Are Lacking in One or More of the Virtues Application #4: Embedding the Model into an Organization's Culture Connecting the Ideal Team Player Model With the Five Dysfunctions of A Team A Final Thought—Beyond Work Teams More Resources You'll find the following resources there: Acknowledgments About the Author End User License Agreement ALSO BY PATRICK LENCIONI The Five Temptations of a CEO The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Death By Meeting Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars The Truth About Employee Engagement The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family Getting Naked The Advantage The Ideal Team Player How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues A Leadership Fable Patrick Lencioni Cover image: © iStock.com / ulkan (background); © iStock.com / mediaphotos (inset) Cover design: Wiley Copyright © 2016 by Patrick Lencioni. 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Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com. ISBN 9781119209591 (cloth); ISBN 9781119209607 (ebk); ISBN 9781119209614 (ebk) DEDICATION This is dedicated to Tracy Noble, who guided me through the process of writing this book, and who lives humble, hungry, and smart every day. 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 endeavor, 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 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.