Exploring the Ideal Team Player

Caffeinated Thought of the Week:

Teams are all around us, whether in our family, church, work, or sports. When you think about the characteristics of a great team player, where does your mind wander? Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Ideal Team Player, argues that the following three traits are key indicators:

1. Humble: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less” - CS Lewis
2. Hungry: Always seeking more, displaying self-motivation and discipline.
3. Smart: It’s not about intellectual capacity but rather about people’s common sense when it comes to interpersonal skills, such as listening, asking good questions, understanding group dynamics, and having emotional intelligence.

Quote of the Week:

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” - Booker T. Washington

Question of the Week:

List the current teams you are part of. If you were to ask someone on your team to describe some of your characteristics, do you think they would mention humble, hunger, or smart in the discussion?