By Mara Irons, Marketing Manager for Transformance Advisors
The Ideal Team Player was revolutionary when it was released nearly a decade ago, and it’s still applicable to teams today, albeit with a few minor updates that we’ll discuss later in this article. In The Ideal Team Player, Patrick Lencioni explores the qualities that make someone an indispensable member of any team. At its core, the book identifies three essential virtues every ideal team player must possess: humility, hunger, and smarts. These virtues go beyond technical skills and focus on the behaviors and attitudes which drive trust, accountability, and collaboration within teams. Lencioni’s framework has become a cornerstone for leaders aiming to build cohesive, high-performing teams.
Teamwork is often hailed as the foundation of success in organizations, and its definition underscores its importance:
An ideal team player embodies this definition and elevates it. These individuals not only contribute their share but also create an environment where others can thrive. By mastering humility, hunger, and smarts, they enhance the collective success of their teams, making them irreplaceable assets in achieving organizational goals.
The Fable
The first 150 pages of the Ideal Team Player are the “fable”. Unlike most fables that you may be familiar with, there are no talking animals. There is, however, a moral to this story. Lencioni begins by introducing his main character, Jeff, who is making a huge career change – from working in Silicon Valley to taking over his Uncle Bob’s construction business, Valley Builders.
Jeff joins the Valley Builders executive team with plans of eventually succeeding his uncle as CEO, but after only eight weeks, the unexpected happens — Jeff learns his uncle is retiring that same day, and he is now the acting CEO. To make matters worse, Bob is stepping away from Valley Builders completely and will not be available for anything work-related.
During the lunch where Bob tells Jeff that he is retiring, he delivers another startling revelation. Valley Builders has just taken on two major new projects. The company has never had this much work at once, and now it’s all up to Jeff to make it happen. After absorbing this new information, Jeff heads back to the office to meet with his executive team: Clare, the head of HR, and Bobby, the head of field operations.
After a bit of commiserating about the unfortunate timing of Bob’s surprise retirement, the executive team gets to work figuring out how to navigate their two new projects. They are soon faced with their biggest issue, hiring and retention. How will the executive team solve this issue?
The Ideal Team Player Model has the answer!
The Ideal Team Player Model
Humble
“In the context of teamwork, humility is largely what it seems to be. 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 indispensable attribute of being a team player.”
– Patrick Lencioni
According to Lencioni, being humble is the most important of the three virtues of an Ideal Team Player. Someone who is humble puts their own ego aside. To them, celebrating wins as a team is more important than personal recognition. This is not to say they do not want their personal contributions recognized, rather they do not expect it. They do their work for the betterment of the team and receive their personal satisfaction from being part of something bigger than themselves.
The two biggest obstacles often seen regarding humility in the workplace are egos and self-doubt. An inflated ego makes teamwork increasingly difficult, as an arrogant person often believes they have the best ideas and are often boastful in nature. This behavior can lead to resentment from other team members.
Self-doubt may not make such an obvious impact on the feelings of other team members, but it can still drag down team morale and productivity. When someone lacks confidence, they often find it hard to advocate for their ideas even when they are full of merit. A level of confidence is needed to be a good team member; letting yourself be walked over is not being humble.
“Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
– C.S. Lewis
How to Spot a Humble Team Player
A humble team player embodies qualities that foster collaboration and mutual respect. They:
- Readily admit their mistakes, recognizing how accountability strengthens relationships and trust within the team.
- Gladly share the credit by emphasizing the accomplishments of the team.
- Frequently compliment their teammates to uplift and encourage them.
- Accept apologies graciously, understanding that forgiveness is essential for maintaining harmony and progress.
- Exude quiet confidence and competence, balancing self-assurance with a willingness to learn and grow.
- Approach teamwork with an abundance mentality, believing there is enough success, recognition, and opportunity to go around.
Hungry
“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.”
– Patrick Lencioni
Hunger, at the basic level, means to have drive. Someone who is hungry is either self-motivated or capable of finding their own external motivation. They don’t require micromanaging – they implicitly want to learn more, achieve more, and do more.
Someone who lacks hunger might fly under the radar for a while if they are smart and humble, but they’re often easy to identify and typically not someone you’d want on your team. Without something driving them, such a team member may not do more than required to serve the team. They are not necessarily indifferent to the team but rather lack the motivation to take initiation on their own. In a team setting, this can be very detrimental to not only the workload but to morale.
On the other hand, someone who is overly hungry and thinks of nothing but work will also take a toll on your team. These individuals tend to lack the humility of the ideal team player and are motivated to rise above their team members, leading to tension between members and overvaluation of their own opinions above others.
How to Spot a Hungry Team Player
A hungry team player consistently seeks ways to contribute and make a meaningful impact. They:
- Are deeply passionate about achieving the team’s objectives while maintaining a strong drive to fulfill their personal goals.
- Demonstrate enthusiasm for learning by actively seeking opportunities to grow and expand their knowledge.
- Often think about how they can take on more responsibility, showing their readiness to step up when needed.
- Exhibit self-motivation, staying focused, and taking initiative to continuously push for excellence.
- Show a strong commitment to the team’s success, making them indispensable assets to any team.
Smart
“In the context of a team, 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. Some might refer to this as emotional intelligence, which wouldn’t be a bad comparison, but smart is probably a little simpler than that. Smart people just have good judgment and intuition around the subtleties of group dynamics and the impact of their words and actions.”
– Patrick Lencioni
The smart virtue of an ideal team player doesn’t refer to intellectual abilities. Instead, it’s about emotional intelligence — understanding and responding to the emotions and needs of others. While intellectual intelligence is important, smart here is more intuitive, reflecting a person’s ability to navigate social dynamics and gauge reactions in real-time. It’s not always easy to learn, but like any skill, it can improve with practice. Developing emotional intelligence is an ongoing journey — one that requires continuous self-improvement and reflection on one’s own strengths and weaknesses.
Someone who embodies this virtue can often sense how others are feeling during conversations and adjust their approach accordingly. They know what to say and when to say it, keeping interactions smooth and productive.
However, just because someone understands people doesn’t mean they have their best interests at heart. While emotional intelligence is a crucial aspect of being an ideal team player, not all individuals who are smart make great team players. Some may use their ability to understand others for selfish gain rather than for the benefit of the team.
How to Spot a Smart Team Player
A smart team player possesses a heightened sense of emotional intelligence and interpersonal awareness. They:
- Focus on understanding how others feel in various situations and seek to uncover the motivations behind people’s actions.
- Are keenly aware of how their words and behaviors impact others, striving to communicate and act with thoughtfulness and empathy.
- Intuitively grasp the underlying emotions or experiences someone may be navigating, beyond what is said.
- Reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses, committing to an endless journey of self-improvement.
- Foster trust and harmony within the team by being sensitive and adaptive to others’ needs and behaviors.
Modernizing the Modern
Patrick Lencioni originally published The Ideal Team Player in 2016, almost a decade ago. While most of what he says remains true today, the workplace has undergone significant changes that warrant an updated perspective on his three virtues: humble, hungry, and smart. These changes include the rise of remote work, the growing emphasis on work-life balance, and the increasing reliance on technology. Let’s explore how these virtues manifest in today’s work environments.
Being Humble in 2025
Humility remains the most important virtue of an Ideal Team Player, and its significance has only grown in the era of remote and hybrid work. Collaboration across virtual platforms removes face-to-face interactions, making it harder to be heard, seen, and understood. This makes humility — a willingness to seek input, listen actively, and value others’ contributions — essential for effective teamwork.
In a remote environment, a humble team player needs to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. For example, they may proactively solicit input from quieter team members during virtual meetings or follow up with them individually to gather their perspectives. This behavior prevents dominant personalities from monopolizing discussions and encourages a more inclusive decision-making process. Moreover, humble individuals acknowledge and celebrate team achievements in ways that resonate across virtual communication channels, such as team-wide emails or collaborative tools like Slack.
However, remote work also introduces challenges to humility. It’s easy to sit back in silence during meetings when you aren’t face-to-face with your team, and humble team players may allow themselves to not be heard. Without in-person interactions, other team members may struggle to gauge each other’s intentions or contributions, leading to misinterpretations. Humble individuals help bridge these gaps by being transparent about their own efforts and recognizing others’ contributions openly and frequently. But just as it was before virtual work, it’s important not to bring up your own contributions too often in order to not come off greedy.
Being Hungry in 2025
Hunger, or drive, is another virtue that has evolved in today’s workplace. In his original book, Lencioni warns against hiring individuals with expensive hobbies, such as skiing, as they might prioritize leisure over work responsibilities. This perspective, while perhaps fitting for the time, feels outdated in a world increasingly focused on work-life balance and employee well-being.
Today, employees with fulfilling hobbies often bring a renewed sense of purpose and energy to their work. Encouraging hobbies and personal passions can actually foster a healthier form of hunger, where team members are motivated not only by career aspirations but also by the desire to maintain a balanced and enriching life. For example, someone who is passionate about travel might be driven to excel at work to fund their adventures, while also bringing a broadened perspective and creative thinking to the team.
The shift to remote work has further blurred the lines between personal and professional lives, making it even more crucial to redefine hunger. Employees must now manage their own schedules and workloads without direct supervision, which requires a self-driven mindset. Hungry team players excel in this environment, demonstrating initiative and finding ways to contribute beyond their immediate responsibilities. However, it’s also essential for organizations to prevent burnout by fostering sustainable motivation rather than an unrelenting drive to perform.
Being Smart in 2025
The concept of being “smart” in Lencioni’s model refers to emotional intelligence rather than intellectual ability, and it has taken on new dimensions with the rise of digital communication and artificial intelligence (AI) tools. In today’s workplace, being smart means navigating the nuances of virtual interactions and leveraging technology to enhance collaboration.
A smart team player can interpret the tone of an email or Slack message to avoid potential misunderstandings. They understand how to tailor their communication style for different audiences and situations, ensuring clarity and professionalism even in informal exchanges. This level of emotional intelligence is critical as teams rely more heavily on digital tools, where miscommunication may more easily arise.
At the same time, AI tools have become both a challenge and an opportunity for smart team players. On one hand, AI-driven platforms can assist in improving communication—for example, tools like Grammarly or ChatGPT can help ensure the tone of a message aligns with its intended purpose. On the other hand, overreliance on these tools can hinder the development of genuine emotional intelligence. Smart team players strike a balance by using AI as a support system rather than a crutch, allowing them to maintain authentic and thoughtful interactions.
Additionally, the increased informality of digital communication, such as the use of emojis or shorthand in workplace chats, presents both opportunities and risks. While these elements can foster a sense of camaraderie, they also require careful navigation to avoid unintentional offense or misunderstanding. A smart individual excels in adapting their communication to suit the team’s culture and context.
The Bottom Line
The virtues of humble, hungry, and smart remain as relevant today as when The Ideal Team Player was first published, but their application must evolve with the changing workplace. By fostering humility in virtual collaboration, encouraging sustainable hunger, and being smart with digital communication, individual team members can ensure that their teams are equipped to thrive in a modern environment. Most people do not have equal amounts of all three virtues, and that’s okay. Being aware of what makes an ideal team player is half the battle. Now that you’re aware of what makes an ideal team player, you can strive to be one yourself. Ultimately, adapting these virtues to today’s realities not only preserves their value but also amplifies their impact on organizational success.
Next Steps: Assess Your Ideal Team Player Traits
Now that you’ve explored the three virtues of an ideal team player — humble, hungry, and smart — it’s time to take action. Understanding these traits is only the first step. To truly apply Lencioni’s model, begin by assessing how well you embody each of these virtues.
At the bottom of this article, you’ll find the Ideal Team Player Assessment. This tool is designed to help you evaluate your strengths and identify areas for growth. By answering a series of reflective questions, you’ll gain valuable insights into how you contribute to your team and where you can improve.
Here’s how you can use the assessment:
- Complete it individually: Reflect honestly on your own behaviors and attitudes.
- Share it with your team: Encourage team members to take the assessment and discuss the results together. This fosters transparency and creates opportunities for mutual support and development.
- Take action: Use the results to set specific goals for growth. Whether it’s cultivating humility, balancing hunger with sustainability, or enhancing emotional intelligence, small, deliberate steps can make a big difference.
Becoming an ideal team player is a journey, not a destination. By taking the time to reflect and grow, you’re not only investing in your personal success but also in the success of your team and organization.
Complete An Assessment Now
Mara Irons
Mara Irons is the Marketing Manager at Transformance Advisors. She specializes in crafting compelling content and conducting research to ensure community relevance. With a background spanning education, transportation, digital marketing, health, and nonprofit sectors, Mara brings diverse expertise to her role.
Driven by a passion for assisting small businesses in the digital realm, Mara delivers innovative solutions and fosters meaningful connections.
Outside of work, she loves exploring the outdoors with her dog, Indi. However, if it’s cold or raining, you can find her on the couch watching true crime documentaries with a glass of wine.
To learn more about Mara, visit her LinkedIn profile.
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References
The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni