Three Virtues of Ideal Team Players: Humble, Hungry, and Smart

I liked the fable in The Ideal Team Player (on Amazon #ad) by Patrick Lencioni.  Having been in a corporation that fostered team-building and coming from family with construction (from ditch-digging to carpentry and many things in between), I understood the analogy.  The primary point of the book is hiring the right people for your company culture can increase team-building as well as result in efficiency.  It takes the concept of cohesive teams from building teams within an organization to filling them with the right membership. If you work in Human Resources or are a manager/leader with hiring responsibilities, you should want to read this book.

The Ideal Team Player model contains three virtues that the ideal team player must have:  humility, hunger, and people-smarts.  Lencioni says "What makes humble, hungry, and smart powerful is not the individual attributes, but rather the required combination of all three.  If even one is missing in a team member, teamwork becomes significantly more difficult, and sometime not possible."  

More detail on the virtues follows the fable in the 57 pages on why the model is important for teamwork and how-to use the model in a company.  To see a short description of each trait and a drawing of the model, read Hiring the Best Players for Your Team.  In the model section, Lencioni warns about hiring people who only possess one of the three traits:  Humble/Pawn, Hungry/Bulldozer, and Smart/Charmer.  He also helps us understand that here are different levels of people within companies that only have two of the three virtues that may require performance development towards getting the third trait. Each of these has a difficulty level: Low/Accidental Mess-maker can be trained to change, Medium/Lovable Slacker will require a lot of time to change, and High/Skillful Politician most likely will not change. For suggestions on how to spot these six people, read the book or visit Three Essential Virtues.

Lencioni suggests four ways to apply the three virtues in an organization.
1. Hiring, includes both interviewing and checking references.
2. Assessing current employees against the model.
3. Developing employees who are lacking in one of more virtues.
4. Embedding the model in company's culture.

For #2, using pages 192-193 of the book, Lencioni suggests team members self-evaluate themselves against the three virtues:  humble, hungry, and smart.  Lencioni offers that same Ideal Team Player Self Evaluation free as a printable 1-page PDF on his company website.  He also offers a free Manager’s Assessment for Direct Reports on his site for #2.  For #3 he suggests coaching and  DISC.  For #4, he talks mostly about performance management - first I suggest change management. For #1, many of the sample interview questions from the book are also available in an Interview Guide on the website, which I think is very generous of the author.

Sales Quiz to Get Past the Gatekeeper

If you are a sales representative, you should check out this 8-question quiz "Getting past the gatekeeper" from a Sales Training company in the UK.  It is a pretty good quiz and you get a score at the end.  The only improvement I would suggest is a feature that tells you which question you missed and what the best answer should have been.

DiSC model: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness videos

I often suggest the Everything DiSC assessments to customers who want a way for their teams to learn to better communicate at a 1-on-1 level.  Knowing each other's DiSC style allows members to customize the way they are talking about things in a way that the other members can better understand their meaning and achieve agreement quicker.

My colleagues, Mary Anne Wihbey-Davis and Roy Davis video-taped potions of a Everything DiSC training session they did and placed a few snippets on YouTube.  If you want to know what DiSC is, what the letters mean, and how you may be able to use this tool, check out their videos.

If you want to read a little more about DiSC, please review the

Productivity and Personal Behavioral Style - DISC post on this blog by another colleague of mine. Or check out this post on Mary Anne's blog: DiSC system provides more data than just the profile.

If you think DiSC is for you and are not sure which assessment you want fro your team, check out these introductory videos on the types of DiSC products.  Once you think you know what product you would like, give me or my colleagues above a call or shoot us an email.

The Role of the Leader in Five Team Behaviors

Last week, I attended a briefing on a new team training program called The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team.  It is based on building teams that are the opposite of the one in Lencioini’s business fable The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (see video post), which has also been the basis of other team training programs.  The new program includes a version of the

Everything DiSC profile and for that reason it emphasizes the need for a skilled facilitator to help the team understand what their different member styles are and how that affects team dynamics, as well as decision making and problem solving.  A skilled facilitator is always a good idea when introducing a new concept or technique to a team. 

After thinking about the program, I thought it would be interesting to look at the two models as they relate to the common team development pyramid and also show what the leadership role is to move existing teams from dysfunctional (aka BAD) to cohesive (aka GOOD).  The pyramid starts with the foundation of trust and moves the team upward towards results.

Dysfunction Model	Role of Leader	Cohesive Team Model
Absence of Trust = The fear of being vulnerable with team members prevents the building of trust within the team.	Go first to show openness and willingness to trust others in group.	Trust One Another = Be transparent and honest with one another to build vulnerability-based trust.
Fear of Conflict = The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles the occurrence of productive ideological conflict.	Watch and listen to group for conflict situations.	Engage in Conflict Around Ideas = team members are able to engage  in unfiltered, constructive debate of ideas.
Lack of Commitment = The lack of clarity or buy-in prevents team members from making decisions they will stick to.	Force clarity and closure to gain commitment and assign actions.	Commit to Decisions = members are able to offer opinions and debate ideas so they will be more likely to commit to decisions.
Avoidance of Accountability = The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team members from holding one another accountable.	Confront difficult issues as they arise in group.	Hold One Another Accountable =  everyone is committed to a clear plan of action and become more willing to hold one another accountable
Inattention to Results = The pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the focus on collective success.	Focus group on collective outcomes.	Focus on Achieving Collective Results = The ultimate goal of team building is to get results.

Team Tension: the Why of Causes and How of Management

Is your team experiencing tension or conflict?  It could be occurring because each member has their own work style and personality traits.  We have discussed personality at work before in relation to the various tools for DiSC styles.  The 16 minute video below presents the same concept using IOPT Style.  It is interesting as a quick introduction to why tension exists at work and how different work styles can result in misinterpretation (input processing) leading to unnecessary conflict or resistance (output processing). 

The idea is similar to SDI profile for technical professionals or MBTI types of HRDQ styles for all workers.  Some of the concepts presented in video are a little technical but the psychology is well researched and documented, so keep watching and you will have a better understanding of why knowing the different types can improve team member communication.   

NOTE:  For a clever idea on measuring team or project milestones, check out Organize This with Style blog post with links to multiple poems including Using Poems to Mark Project Milestones.

 

Eight Leadership Dimensions

The folks at Wiley Publishing developed a new Work of Leaders training program around their research for the book The 8 Dimensions of Leadership (on Amazon #ad).  In the book, their research indicates that all leaders need to utilize the 8 dimensions for various aspects of their work.  Most leaders will have a preferred dimension that is related to their primary DiSC behavioral style (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, or Conscientiousness) from the original DiSC assessment.  The most difficult dimensions for a leader to achieve will be the ones that are diagonally opposite of their primary one on the DiSC Leadership Map.  Each dimension has its own strengths and challenges.

Listed below is a summary of the 8 Dimensions of Leadership: 

1.       Pioneering – dynamic, charismatic, and adventurous
2.       Energizing – outgoing, encouraging, and spontaneous
3.       Affirming –  approachable, friendly, and positive
4.       Inclusive – patient, accepting, and diplomatic
5.       Humble –soft-spoken, precise, and modest
6.       Deliberate – systematic, analytical, and cautious
7.       Resolute – rational, challenging, and determined
8.       Commanding –assertive, competitive, and driven

Readers may be able to figure out which their preferred and opposite leadership styles by: reading the book, taking the assessment which gives a 1-page result, or by contacting an Inscape Distributor to take the full Everything DiSC Work of Leaders profile for a personalized 23-page profile .  Part 2 of the book describes each dimension and part 3 begins with needs assessment, which is followed by how and why to move into the other dimensions.  The 8 dimensions are also used in the new Everything DiSC 363 for Leaders tool (360° feedback with 3 personalized strategies).  

Personality Style at Work via HRDQ Assessment

According to the Personality Style at Work book (on Amazon #ad) by Kate Ward, the secret to working with everyone is knowing your own personality style and adapting it to those around you for better communication and cooperation.  The book is full of ways to identify the four styles (direct, spiritual, considerate, and systematic) of others through conversation and observation.  Once you know their style and you can adapt your own to mimic theirs so you are more simpatico.  As with most assessments of this type, readers are encouraged to always use a personality/style model to guide personal behavior, not to try to change others.

Strengths and Shortcomings of the 4 Styles (from pages 97 & 126 of book)

Style	Strengths	Shortcoming
Direct	Stay focused, rarely go off on tangents	May be tactless
(High Assertive/ Low Expressive)	On a team, gets the team moving	Communicate with them  by being short and to the point
Spirited	Interesting conversations, and involve the listener	May not handle criticism well
(High Assertive/ High Expressive)	On a team, infuses it with positive energy	Communicate with them  by lively and energetic
Considerate	Excellent listeners who want to help	May not handle conflict well
(Low Assertive/ High Expressive)	On a team, maintains team harmony	Communicate with them  by friendly and relaxed
Systematic	Information is accurate and reliable	May be negative
(Low Assertive/ Low Expressive)	On a team, helps get things done	Communicate with them  by factual and logical

The book noted above features HRDQ’s Personality Style Model (scroll down page link to see image of model), which is similar concept to the DiSC Behaviorial Style.  A paper-assessment of HRDQ is at the back of the book.  To take a 15-minute, fee-based, on-line HRDQ version visit http://www.personalitystyleatwork.com.

What Is The DISC Behavioral Assessment?

Below is a slide show explaining what DISC personality styles are and why they are important to know.    You can find out more in archived post Productivity and Personal Behavioral Style.  If you are interested in getting a DISC assessment, check out this DISC store.

Productivity and Personal Behavioral Style - DISC

Become More Powerful, Profitable and Productive. Who you are makes a difference in how you work! The search for productivity continues as we see how we can get more done with the same or less people in an environment in which businesses shrink with declining sales. An example is the post office laying off staff and reducing daily service. The impact of the web has dramatically cut their patronage, plus the postal service legacy of poor customer service that has driven customers away to UPS and other carriers. Productivity challenges come whether we cause them or not. Our task is to keep on keeping on. By now, most of the working world is aware that we each work at different paces based on our preferred behavioral styles. Some of us rush through our work, while others ponder what's on their desks before they start work on it. Others want to collaborate with teams while others work by the rules. So how do we know our preferences? If you agree with the old adage "the people make the place," then you'll understand why the use of personality assessments in business and industry continues to grow in popularity. Behavior assessments tap into each individual's unique "operating system," yielding key insights into people's individual drives, temperaments and motivations (e.g., why you might enjoy poring over PandL statements for hours on end, while I'd prefer to be out building relationships with customers). There is an explicit connection between how well a person fits his or her job, his or her productivity and, ultimately, a company's bottom line. I believe these behavioral differences make a huge difference in how we work as both individuals and as a team. This is NOT about the quality of our work. It is about the nature of the process. Let us take a closer look at these behavioral differences and think how they might influence both our productivity and our approach to our work. Since I work with the DiSC program constantly, I believe it provides a good basis for understanding our differences. There are four Classic DiSC styles: DiSC is a model of human behavior that helps to understand "why people do what they do." The dimensions of Dominance, influencing, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness make up the model and interact with other factors to describe human behavior. Dominance Influence Effective Traits: Direct, Self Assured, Gets Results Ineffective Traits: Dictatorial, Demanding, Sarcastic Productivity Traits: Fast Acting & Immediate Results but QC may suffer a bit Effective Traits: People Oriented, Persuasive Ineffective Traits: Talks too much, Lacks Focus Productivity Traits: People come first and work may come next Conscientiousness Steadiness Effective Traits: Accurate, Detail Oriented Ineffective Traits: Perfectionistic, Accurate, Critical Productivity Traits: High standards and details may slow down the output Effective Traits: Listener, Loyal, Consistent Ineffective Traits: Indecisive, resists change Productivity Traits: Focus on tasks where job completion may come before quality DiSC is the universal language for describing the intersection of observable behavior and emotions. As someone said, knowing this language of behavior helps us manage the "how" in our lives – how we deal with problems, how we communicate with others, how we handle change, how we follow rules. We have found that with DiSC knowledge of who you are, you learn to be more productive and work effectively with others while helping your organizations develop productive teams because they know how to communicate. It is just as helpful as knowing French would be in going to France. Each of us has developed a distinct way of thinking, feeling and acting, which becomes our behavioral style. Our unique patterns distinguish us from one another, and express our individual identities just like our thumbprint. Each DiSC style has great strengths, and potential limitations if overused. Remember that any strength taken too far becomes a weakness. Consider yourself in these four styles. Which one is most like you? Many of us have one dominant style and a secondary style close behind. For example, I have a high influence style but my Dominance style is right behind. So each day, I have a little happy dance as to which style rules my day. Usually I choose Influence, because of the people orientation, but when I need to get things DONE, I move into the Dominance style. In terms of productivity, I have developed tools that keep me on track with the tasks in front of me. They include the High Value Activity chart I use every day and other tools that project and track my work. Knowing who we are is NOT a label. It is the most insightful tool I can have in my work.

Motivation: Different for Everyone

Is everyone glued to their television watching the Summer Olympics? I know I am. Anyone else getting misty eyed when they play the national anthem? I’m actually feeling a little lazy being a couch potato while our athletes run, swim, sweat and all around exert themselves as I sit in the comfort of my living room.

I’ve been thinking about the motivation of the athletes. Can you imagine the motivation it takes to train for your entire life for that one moment when you may stand on the medal podium? Experiencing either the thrill of victory...or the agony of defeat…the phrase that was coined by ABC's Wide World of Sports? What drives Michael Phelps to swim 17 races and win 8 gold medals in a single Olympics to achieve the thrill of victory? What drives Dara Torres at the age of 41 to compete alongside other swimmers half her age or younger? What continues to drive an athlete when they don’t realize their dream and experience the agony of defeat?

You may observe motivation in others in many different ways. Some people are motivated by achievement and measurements that reward results and an established record. Others are motivated by recognition, applause and compliments. A third option is motivated when they feel accepted by others, have a supportive environment and teamwork. Still others are motivated by precision, accuracy and rewards for quality. Think about the interviews we’ve heard with the athletics, can you pick out the words they used when asked what they wanted from their Olympic experience? The assessment I use in my training classes is DiSC(R) by Inscape Publishing and the four motivational options described above represent the four styles Dominance, Influencing, Steadiness and Conscientiousness.

Thinking about motivation in terms of “to move”, we’re always moving toward something we want and away from something we don’t. Motivation is different for everyone. As a manager you are expected to motivate your team, but can you truly motivate someone? Motivation comes from within so the most a manager can do is to create a motivational climate. Motivation impacts how and what work assignments are given and reward systems. Having a motivational climate impacts whether someone feels successful on the job in terms of what they are doing, how they are doing it and how they are recognized for doing it. One way to determine motivational needs is to use an assessment like DiSC(R) to be able to use a common language. Another effective way to find out what motivates someone is to ask them: “When have you felt motivated at work and when have you felt de-motivated at work?” It may be a bit challenging for a manager who has a team full of people who are motivated by different things, but with a little creativity and problem solving it is possible.

The thought of competing in the Olympics may not motivate you. What does motivate you? What gets you moving?

Deborah Avrin