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June 12 - June 12, 2016
the three underlying virtues that enable them to be ideal team players: they are humble, hungry, and smart.
“Because we need someone we know and trust. There's no hero out there who could come in from the outside and make this work. And you're invested.
“We're not talking about hugging or holding hands or catching each other falling off chairs. We're talking about getting people to admit when they make a mistake on a project. And to argue about the right way to get things done without worrying that they're going to offend someone. And sticking to commitments, and holding each other accountable. We need to be teaching this to everyone.”
Or more constructively, if they can be a team player. Ninety-five percent of the time they'll do one of two things. They'll change their behavior and love you for making them do it, or they'll opt out on their own, and they'll be relieved.”
We need to hire people who are hungry. They go beyond what is required. Passionate about the work they're doing. Hungry.”
“Don't be a moron, honey,” she said without a hint of irony. “Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's not right.”
five behavioral manifestations of teamwork: trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results.
Great team players lack excessive ego or concerns about status. They are quick to point out the contributions of others and slow to seek attention for their own. They share credit, emphasize team over self, and define success collectively rather than individually. It is no great surprise, then, that humility is the single greatest and most indispensible attribute of being a team player.
“Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
Hungry people are always looking for more. More things to do. More to learn. More responsibility to take on. Hungry people almost never have to be pushed by a manager to work harder because they are self-motivated and diligent. They are constantly thinking about the next step and the next opportunity. And they loathe the idea that they might be perceived as slackers.
in some people, hunger can be taken to an extreme where work becomes too important, consuming the identity of an employee and dominating their life. When I refer to hunger here, I'm thinking about the healthy kind—a manageable and sustainable commitment to doing a job well and going above and beyond when it is truly required.
smart simply refers to a person's common sense about people. It has everything to do with the ability to be interpersonally appropriate and aware. Smart people tend to know what is happening in a group situation and how to deal with others in the most effective way. They ask good questions, listen to what others are saying, and stay engaged in conversations intently.
Smart people just have good judgment and intuition around the subtleties of group dynamics and the impact of their words and actions.
A person who is not humble will not be able to be vulnerable and build trust, making them unable to engage in honest conflict and hold others accountable.
A colleague who lacks hunger will not be willing to engage in uncomfortable conflict, hold peers accountable for their behaviors, or do whatever it takes to achieve results, choosing instead to take an easier path.
not smart about people will most likely create unnecessary problems in the entire teambuilding process, especially when it comes to tactfully engaging in productive conflict and holding people accountable for behaviors.
