Three Essential Virtues When Looking for Team Members

I was coaching an agent this week on a new team member, and we were talking about the top traits we each look for in a team member. It made me recall the simple framework laid out by Patrick Lencioni in The Ideal Team Player.

Here’s a recap of the three essential virtues:

1. Hunger:
Hunger denotes an innate drive to seek more challenges, learning, and responsibility without external prodding. Team members who are hungry are self-motivated and diligent, always striving to do more and improve.

2. Humility:
Humility is characterized by a lack of excessive ego and an emphasis on others' contributions. Humble team players prioritize collective success over personal recognition, making them collaborative and supportive colleagues.

3. Smart (People-Smart):
Being smart in this context refers to "people smarts"—a keen understanding of group dynamics and effective interpersonal skills. Team members with this virtue exhibit good judgment and intuition when dealing with others, facilitating smooth and productive interactions.

When looking for new team members, consider these three essential virtues to build a cohesive, motivated, and effective team. These traits help ensure that your team works well together, supports each other, and consistently strives for excellence.