The Ideal Team Player Framework

This simple framework changed the way I hire.

I came across the Ideal Team Player framework by Patrick Lencioni almost a decade ago.

Up to that point I primarily hired only for skill.

Could they do the job?
Did they have enough experience?
Do they answer the questions correctly?

But this framework showed me that there are really 3 main qualities that you should look for when you hire.

Are they:
1. Humble
2. Hungry
3. Smart (aka People Savvy)

Stop and think about the best person you have ever worked with.

I bet they had each of these three qualities.

Now think about the worst person you have ever worked with.

They were probably missing one or maybe even two of them.

So when I hire now, I still look for skill. But I also do my best to figure out if they fall into the realm of an ideal team player.

I don’t always get it right, but this has helped me identify and hire some of the best people.

What about you? What do you look for when you hire?

And which of the non-ideal team players in the image below do you think is the most harmful to a team?

If you would like to get a sketchnote like the Ideal Team Player image featured above, fill out this form and let's chat!