The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues

By Patrick M. Lencioni

In his classic book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni laid out a groundbreaking approach for tackling the perilous group behaviors that destroy teamwork. Here he turns his focus to the individual, revealing the three indispensable virtues of an ideal team player.

In The Ideal Team Player, Lencioni tells the story of Jeff Shanley, a leader desperate to save his uncle’s company by restoring its cultural commitment to teamwork. Jeff must crack the code on the virtues that real team players possess, and then build a culture of hiring and development around those virtues. 

Beyond the fable, Lencioni presents a practical framework and actionable tools for identifying, hiring, and developing ideal team players.  Whether you’re a leader trying to create a culture around teamwork, a staffing professional looking to hire real team players, or a team player wanting to improve yourself, this book will prove to be as useful as it is compelling.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Apr 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781119209614

Book preview

The Fable

Part One

The Situation

Enough

After twenty years, Jeff Shanley had experienced more than his fair share of the Silicon Valley. The hours. The traffic. The pretentiousness. It was time to make a change.

To be fair, it wasn't really the work that Jeff had grown tired of. In fact, he had enjoyed an interesting and successful career. After a few jobs in high-tech marketing, at age thirty-five he cofounded a technology start-up. Two years later, he was fortunate enough to get demoted when the board of directors hired what they called a grown-up CEO. During the next four years, that CEO, Kathryn Petersen, taught Jeff more about leadership, teamwork, and business than he could have learned in a decade of business school.

When Kathryn retired, Jeff left the company and spent the next few years working at a small consulting firm in Half Moon Bay, over the hills from the Silicon Valley. Jeff thrived there, and was on the verge of becoming a partner. But during that time, he and his wife began to grow tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses, which happened to be the name of the family that lived in the over-priced bungalow next door.

Jeff was definitely ready for a change. Where he would go and what he would do next was a mystery to him. He certainly didn't expect the answer to come via a phone call from his uncle Bob.

Bob

Robert Shanley had been the most prominent and diversified building contractor in the Napa Valley for three decades. Whether it was a winery, a school, or a shopping center, if it was being built in Napa, there was a decent chance that Valley Builders was involved in some significant way.

Unfortunately for Bob, none of his kids was interested in taking over the family business, instead choosing to be restauranteurs, stockbrokers, and high school teachers. And that's why Bob called his nephew to see if he knew anyone who might be interested in running the company in a couple of years when Bob retired.

It wasn't the first time that Bob had turned to his nephew for advice. Jeff had helped him on a few occasions in the past, and actually consulted to the executive team a year earlier on a substantial project around teamwork, which was one of the firm's values. Jeff had focused his efforts on building more effective teams at the highest levels of the company.

Bob loved the work Jeff did, and often bragged about his nephew during family reunions, usually saying something to the effect of this boy is my best advisor. His cousins teased Jeff, pretending to resent their father's favoritism.

Bob thought so much of Jeff that he had absolutely no expectation that his ambitious nephew in the exciting world of high tech would ever be interested in working in construction. Which is why he was so stunned when Jeff asked, Would you consider hiring someone without industry experience? Someone like me?

Transition

Within the month, Jeff and Maurine Shanley had sold their tiny home in San Mateo and moved their two children and one dog to the northern end of Napa—the town, not the valley. Jeff's commute to the Valley Builders office was about four miles, and even if he drove the speed limit, it took just seven minutes.

It was during those minutes that Jeff experienced an initial wave of remorse. Though everything on the domestic side of his decision had been going well, learning the nuances of the construction industry proved to be more of a challenge than he expected. Or, more precisely, it was the lack of nuance that was the problem.

Everything in construction seemed to come down to physical, material issues. Gone were the days of theoretical debates and pie-in-the-sky planning. Jeff now found himself learning about concrete matters having to do with everything from air conditioning to lumber to, well, concrete.

But soon enough, Jeff not only got used to this new way of working, he actually came to prefer it. Straightforward conversations about tangible things may have been less sophisticated than high tech, but they were also more gratifying. And he was learning more than he could have imagined from his uncle, who never finished college but seemed to have a better understanding of business than many of the CEOs Jeff had worked with in technology.

After eight weeks of observation and learning, Jeff came to the conclusion that the move to Napa was the right one and that the stress of his previous life in the Silicon Valley was over.

He was wrong.

Part Two

Diagnosis

The Ropes

Bob Shanley had never been a cautious man, which was one of the reasons his firm had done so well. He had been decisive and bold in growing the company when others were hedging their bets. Aside from the occasional and inevitable economic downturns, most of Bob's decisions had yielded significant long-term benefits.

The firm had more than two hundred people on staff, making it one of the larger employers in the area. Those employees, ranging from entry-level construction workers to architectural engineers, were generally well compensated and, more important to Bob, had generous benefits plans. Though bonuses varied from year to year depending on the region's economy and the success of Bob's business development, no one who worked at Valley Builders felt underpaid.

Employees weren't the only people who depended on VB's financial success. A small group of family members, whom Bob called private shareholders, had a financial stake in the company. These were Bob's wife and kids, as well as a few of his siblings who helped him launch the company more than three decades earlier. One of those siblings was Jeff's dad, who had relied on the financial windfall to help fund his retirement.

During those first months on the job, Jeff had focused almost exclusively on learning the operations of construction. This consisted primarily of studying the day-to-day tactical and financial nature of the business, everything from materials acquisition and scheduling to permitting and labor costs. Bob decided to wait a few months to teach Jeff about the longer-term strategic issues related to the company's overall financial health and new business development. Though Jeff certainly asked a few questions about those issues, Bob assured him that he would sit down with Jeff to review that part of the business as soon as his nephew felt comfortable in the blocking and tackling of the construction industry.

Jeff had no idea how soon that day would come and what a shock that conversation would be. For that matter, neither did Bob.

Disclosure

Sitting down for lunch at an upscale BBQ restaurant near the Napa River, Bob got right to the point.

Here's the deal. I am ridiculously happy that I hired you. You've already been a blessing to me and the company.

Jeff felt as gratified by this feedback as any he had heard in his career, probably because it came from a family member. But he could tell his uncle had more to say.

In fact, I'm not going to wait a year to put you in charge. We're going to do it right away.

Caught completely off guard by the announcement, Jeff pushed back. Whoa. I don't think we should get ahead of—

Smiling, Bob waved his hand and interrupted. Don't start telling me you're not ready, because I already know that.

Jeff was confused.

I don't want you to be ready, Jeff. I want you to be excited. And a little nervous. That's good for you.

Something about his uncle seemed off to Jeff. Well, I think I'll be plenty excited and nervous in six months. Why don't we just—

Because we can't, Bob interrupted again, this time in a much more serious tone. He paused and struggled to get out the next sentence. Jeff, my doctor says I have a serious heart condition. The kind you don't recover from. I don't understand half the words the doctor uses. Something about ischemia and angina. All I know is that he says I need surgery and that my life needs to change. Immediately.

Just then the waitress shattered the moment when she came over to take their orders. Recovering himself immediately, Bob promptly ordered a salad with no dressing and a glass of water. Then he teased Jeff.

But if you don't get the ribs, I'm going to kick your ass right here.

Jeff laughed, and ordered the ribs. As the waitress walked away, he asked Bob the big question: Are you going to be okay?

If surgery goes well and I do what the doctor tells me, I should be fine. But it's going to be hard for me. Which is why I have to step away from the business. Bob paused. I can't believe I just said that. I think I'm still in shock that I won't be there next week. But I have to leave, because I'm not good at doing things halfway.

When is your surgery?

A week from tomorrow, unless something changes and they can get me in sooner.

Jeff was stunned.

Though he was showing his trademark confidence and humor, Bob was clearly taking all of this very seriously.

Honestly, Jeff, I don't know what we'd do if we hadn't hired you.

Jeff nodded, glad for the confidence but not loving the context of it all. That context was about to get much worse.

When It Rains

Jeff decided to dive into the details. Well, I hate to do this, but I think it's time we talked about the balance sheet and the longer-term financials of the company.

Bob nodded a little sheepishly and reached for something in his computer bag. I think I've brought most of what you need.

Knowing his uncle well, Jeff was starting to feel like something wasn't right. He probed. Based on everything I've seen so far, I'm guessing the company's in pretty good shape. It was more of a question than a statement.

Bob smiled, the same way he used to smile when he assured the kids he wouldn't throw them in the deep end of the pool just before he did exactly that. Absolutely. He didn't sound confident. But I need to talk to you about some new challenges and opportunities.

As concerned as he was, Jeff laughed out loud. I don't think I like the sound of this.

Oh, you'll be fine. This is just how the industry works.

The waitress brought Jeff's beer and Bob's water.

So what kind of challenges and opportunities are we talking about? Jeff asked.

Bob stopped rifling through his bag and looked Jeff in the eye with a bizarre mix of excitement and worry.

Jeff, we just landed two great projects.

He paused to let his nephew take in the information, and then continued.

It's very exciting. The Queen of the Valley Hospital project, which I mentioned to you a few weeks ago, came through on Monday. And I signed the papers yesterday morning for the new hotel project in St. Helena. He paused and seemed to force a big smile. We're going to build both of them.

Jeff was confused. That's good news, right?

It's fantastic news, Bob answered, in a tone that was something less than fantastic.

When was the last time we had two projects like that on the books at the same time? Jeff was more than a little curious to know.

Bob hesitated, looking down at his glass of water for a moment and back up at Jeff. That's the thing. We've never had two major projects like this at the same time. He paused. In fact, both of these are as big as anything we've ever done.

Any semblance of a smile that had remained on Jeff's face disappeared. As overwhelmed as he was, he had yet to receive the worst news of all.

Committed

Jeff took a deep breath. Okay. I know this is hard to hear, and the last thing I want to do is stress you out, Bob. But maybe we need to focus on one of the projects and let the other one go. I mean, it sounds like this would be a challenge if you were running the show, but with a new and inexperienced CEO like me, this could be a recipe for disaster.

Bob nodded and took a drink of his water. I understand.

Jeff wanted to be relieved, but he sensed that a qualifier was coming. He was right.

His uncle's smile slid into a wince. It's just that the legal nature of the hospital deal is that if we back out, we lose a huge chunk of capital. And they've already advanced us a first payment on the hotel, part of which we're using to finish the Oak Ridge shopping center.

Jeff was now starting to feel very warm, and not in a good way. He took a long drink from the beer bottle in front of him. So we're talking about cash flow issues? And this is too much to walk away from?

Bob nodded. Oh yeah. It would be a deal breaker for the firm. Then his smile returned. "But as soon

Reviews for The Ideal Team Player

[Connor Doyle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great realizations in this book thoroughly breaking down what it means to have a great team.

[rjcoburn11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Lencioni believes that people who embody the three virtues of being “humble, hungry,
and smart,” make better team members. And leaders that are able to identify, hire and cultivate
employees that have these three virtues are able to build stronger teams, faster, and reduce costs
associated with politics, turnover, and morale. The goal of Lecioni’s book, The Ideal Team
Player: How To Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues, is to demonstrate how the
combination of these three simple attributes can accelerate the process of making teamwork a
reality, bring with it all the associated benefits. For Lencioni, the success of an organization
hinges on getting “the right people on the right bus.”
The book is structured into several parts. Two main parts and subsections of the main
parts. The main parts are “The Fable” and “The Model.” In “The Fable,” part of the book
Lencioni tells the story of Jeff Shanley taking over his uncle Bob’s construction business at a
very critical time. Because of Bob’s health, Jeff stepped into a leadership role, just as the
company had to take on two large projects at the same time, demanding that the company hire
many new employees and demonstrate superb teamwork if they had any hope of finishing the
two major projects on time and on budget.
The Fable follows Steve, and the other two executives at Valley Builders, Clare and
Bobby, as they seek to emphasize the company culture of teamwork by employing ideal team
players throughout the organization. It shows how they are able to use the three virtues of
“humble, hungry, and smart,” during the hiring process. It also shows how they used the virtues
in making decisions of who should be promoted, who needs help, and who needs to be let go.
Using the Fable, Lencioni is able to show the logic of the three virtues. Within the story,
the three executives working together come up with these three virtues, as they are seeking how
to describe people who make good team players and are not “jackasses.” Throughout the fable,
the reader is able to get see how the virtues were formulated throughout the discussion between the
executives, why they were important, and how they implemented them in various areas to
achieve their goal of having ideal team players throughout the company.
The second major section of the book, “The Model,” helps the reader understand the
“Ideal Team Player” model that was “developed” by the executives in The Fable. Lencioni
defines each of the virtues, and discusses the combination of the three. Lencioni emphasizes
here and throughout the book that it is not the individual virtues of humble, hungry and smart
that are important or powerful, but the combination of the three, which makes the ideal team
player.4
The book also gives an explanation of various categories of people. Those who have
one or two of the virtues, but not all three. Lincioni’s description of these people help a leader
reading the book be able to understand what one of their team members is lacking, where as
often times it is hard to put your finger on exactly where a team member is falling short. Lastly
the book gives practical advise for implementing the Ideal Team Player model in the organization,
including hiring, current employee assessment, employee development, how to embed the model
in an organization’s current culture.

[hskey-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

We were assigned this book for preparation for our quarterly manager's roundtable and I'm pretty confident that Lencioni is my favorite business book author. His use of fictional scenarios and tying them easily to the principles he's trying to teach is endearing and puts it well above other business books I've been assigned. The "fable" parts humanize theory, I'm engaged in how the story progresses and when the second part of the book references specific characters, the ideas really click in mind. I will be using "hungry, humble, smart" for my own team evaluation and am very keen to read other Lencioni books in this genre.