The Ideal Team Player
“After all, a good team player must not only have the right attitude, but must also demonstrate the right behaviors in a way that others see and understand.”
Uncovering the Behaviors of Humble, Hungry, and Smart
When it comes to building a team that truly thrives, it is beyond technical skills - it is how you show up.
At the heart of high-performing teams is what Patrick Lencioni calls The Ideal Team Player (2016) - a teammate who embodies three essential traits: humility, hunger, and people smarts. And when these qualities show up across a team, they create something powerful: trust, momentum, and real performance.
Humble team players have a clear view of their own strengths and limitations. They lead with confidence, not ego, and elevate others along the way.
Hungry team players are eager to take on more, often are self-motivated to move things forward, and contribute beyond their role.
People Smart team players are tuned into how their behavior affects others. They lead with emotional intelligence and communicate with clarity and care.
These traits do not exist in isolation and work best together in motion and strengthened through intentional collaboration.
Reflection for Leaders & Teams
Whether you're revisiting this model or encountering it for the first time, below are three questions to reflect on:
To what extent am I…
Humble: Mission driven with an “others first” attitude
Hungry: Willing to take on necessary responsibilities to move the team forward
Smart: Aware of how my behaviors impact others
Photo by Andrea Zanenga on Unsplash
Like a symphony, a high-performing team thrives when each member contributes their unique strengths in harmony—playing their part with Humility, Hunger, and Smarts —distinct and powerful on its own—yet even more impactful when played in concert with others.
Ready to move beyond the book and apply the Ideal Team Player to your leadership? To learn more about our leadership development sessions and assessment tool that helps identify key behaviors needed to be Humble, Hungry, & Smart email Whitney Luther at whitney@luther.company
Source: Lencioni, P. (2016). The ideal team player: How to recognize and cultivate the three essential virtues: A leadership fable. Jossey-Bass.
