48 pages • 1 hour read
The Ideal Team Player
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IntroductionChapter Summaries & Analyses
Introduction Summary
The brief Introduction outlines the book’s purpose, distinguishes between teamwork and being a team player, and identifies three critical traits of being a good team player: humility, hunger, and intelligence. Lencioni establishes his own credibility in the section, pointing to his 20 years of experience working with leaders and teams, and also refers to a previous book of his, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. The purpose of the book is to show managers and other key employees how to identify these traits of a good team player prior to hiring and cultivate them after hiring, which Lencioni maintains can more readily set up a company for success compared to companies that do not prioritize these traits.
Introduction Analysis
The Introduction is presented in Lencioni’s voice and serves as a rhetorical framing for the rest of the book. Lencioni first establishes the justification for the book’s primary argument. He says,
If someone were to ask me to make a list of the most valuable qualities a person should develop in order to thrive in the world of work—and for that matter, life—I would put being a team player at the top. The ability to work effectively with others, to add value within the dynamics of a group endeavor, is more critical in today’s fluid world than it has ever been.
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