The Ideal Team Player by Patrick M. Lencioni (Book Review)
In The Ideal Team Player, bestselling author Patrick M. Lencioni takes a deep dive into the qualities that make individuals thrive within a team. Building on the foundation of his classic, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni shifts focus from group dynamics to the specific virtues that define an exceptional team member. Through an engaging business fable, Lencioni reveals the three critical traits—humble, hungry, and smart—that set ideal team players apart. Whether you’re a business leader, an entrepreneur, or someone looking to improve your teamwork skills, this book offers lessons on identifying, hiring, and cultivating the right people for long-term success.
Who is Patrick M. Lencioni?
Patrick M. Lencioni is a founder of The Table Group and a pioneer of the organizational health movement. He is the author of 13 best-selling books, including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The Ideal Team Player, with over 8 million copies sold and translations into more than 30 languages. As President of The Table Group, Patrick focuses on leadership, teamwork, and organizational health, consulting with executives and their teams while speaking and writing on these topics.
Before founding The Table Group in 1997, Patrick worked at Bain & Company, Oracle Corporation, and Sybase. He resides in the Bay Area with his wife and their four sons.
Why Choose “The Ideal Team Player” For Your Next Read?
If you’re a business owner looking to build a stronger, more cohesive team, The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni is a must-read. In this follow-up to his classic book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni shifts the focus from group dynamics to the individual traits that make someone an exceptional team player.
In The Ideal Team Player, Lencioni tells the story of Jeff Shanley, a leader tasked with saving his uncle’s company by rebuilding its teamwork-driven culture. Through Jeff’s journey, readers learn about the three key virtues that make someone the ideal team player: humble, hungry, and smart. These virtues aren’t just buzzwords. They’re actionable qualities that can make or break the success of any team.
Jeff’s story is relatable for anyone who has struggled to build or maintain a strong team in their own company. Entrepreneurs will particularly appreciate the challenges Jeff faces as he works to crack the code on what makes a true team player. All while trying to develop a culture that hires and nurtures these individuals. The storytelling style makes complex business principles easy to digest and keeps the reader engaged, even as the lessons deepen.
As an entrepreneur, one of the biggest challenges is building a team that not only works well together but also pushes your business forward. Lencioni’s framework for identifying team players who are humble (more concerned with the team’s success than their own), hungry (always looking for more work and responsibility), and smart (emotionally intelligent in how they deal with others) is something every entrepreneur can benefit from.
For entrepreneurs who are scaling their businesses, The Ideal Team Player is especially valuable. Lencioni’s framework can help you as you transition from a startup mindset to a more structured, scalable team culture. Whether you’re hiring new team members or refining your company’s existing culture, this book gives you the tools to create a sustainable, high-performing team.
Final Thoughts
The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni provides a clear roadmap for business owners who want to build high-performing teams rooted in collaboration and shared success. By focusing on the three essential virtues—humble, hungry, and smart—Lencioni delivers a framework that is easy to understand and, more importantly, easy to apply. Whether you’re refining your team or scaling your business, this book offers invaluable insights into how to cultivate the right talent and foster a culture that drives growth.
For any leader committed to creating a cohesive and thriving team, The Ideal Team Player is not just a book to read but a strategy to implement. By adopting the principles laid out in this book, you can create a team that’s both resilient and adaptable. These are the key qualities for long-term business success.
