Humble. Hungry. Smart.

If you haven't been on Twitter today, you're missing the current trending hashtag: #wetheother.  As a short recap, the Toronto Raptors were called "the other" team by a CBSSports poll and most of Canada shared their thoughts on it via social media, including the Mayor of Toronto. Canada's team and fans have happily taken it in stride, changing the common "We The North" tagline to "We the Other".  It has since filled my Twitter feed and Facebook wall, and has led me to various articles on the Raptors, including one published on The Players' Tribune by Patrick Patterson, appropropriately titled The North.  

As I read through Patterson's very long, thorough and proud reflection of his time in Toronto as a Raptor, I started to get goosebumps as he talked about how much being a part of this team meant to him.  His words so clearly articulate his pride for his teammates, the fans, and although American, he fully appreciates that he plays for the entire country each and every time that he puts on his red and white jersey.  If you didn't know that he wasn't from Canada, you probably wouldn't.  His appreciation for Canadians from coast to coast exudes in the article, and it ultimately is what drives him and his teammates to keep playing.  And, as he says, in times when the Raptors are not doing that well, or feel as though they are letting their fans down, they play for each other.   By the end of the article, there is a distinct sense of camaraderie between Patterson and his teammates that encourages them to play together for another day, week, year, decade in a Raptors' jersey.

Aside from getting goosebumps, reading the article sparked a connection to a book I recently read about team dynamics.  In hopes of being a better teammate myself, learning how to more effectively manage teams, and become a more well-rounded professional, I have been reading (and thoroughly enjoying) a series of books from Patrick Lencioni, the latest one being The Ideal Team Player.  If you're not familiar with it, the book discusses how the three virtues - humility, hunger, and smarts - contribute to hiring, coaching and developing ideal teammates,  The model suggests that if each individual on a team has all three of these virtues, the team will be successful; when an individual only has one or two, there is often noticeable challenges within a team.

Humility - Individuals with humility in this context emphasize team over self, are quick to recognize the contributions of their colleagues, and share the credit with others.  According to Lencioni, "Humility is the single greatest and most indispensable attribute of being a team player" (p.157).

​Hungry - Hungry people are always looking for more - more things to do, more things to learn, and more responsibility to take on.  Hungry people "almost never have to be pushed by a manager to work harder because they are self-motivated and diligent" (p.159).

​Smart - It's probably not what you think; it is not about being intelligent.  Smart, in this sense of the word, is one's ability to be interpersonally appropriate and aware.  Put simply, it "refers to a person's common sense about people" (p.160).

The book, which is actually written as a fable, discusses how these virtues can be identified in teammates and demonstrates some of the common challenges one may face working with a teammate who lacks one or more of the three.  After reading the book, I have a much clearer vision of what each of the three ideals mean in a team content, and also how they may be presented by a colleague.  Now that I know what they are, I feel like I see them in people everyday, or in this case, they jumped out at me as I read through Patterson's experience as a Raptor.  As he speaks about the effort of his teammates, Kyle and DeMar, there is an overwhelming sense of genuine appreciation and humility.  While he knows that he is an integral part of the Raptors lineup, not once does he relish in his own accomplishments; rather, every word is about the efforts of his teammates and their dedication to excellence.  His interaction with the stranger on the street demonstrates a mutual ability to be smart, as they both demonstrate a blatant self-awareness and ability to interact appropriately.  Finally, the entire article showcases the hunger that he has to constantly improve and his commitment to using past failures as motivation to be even better in the future.  He and his team are hungry to do more, learn more, and accomplish more for each other, their team, and Canadian basketball fans across our great country.  
​
So, even if you haven't read the book, or you're not a sports or Raptors fan, I would encourage you to read his article, because to me, it encompasses what it means to be an ideal team player - humble, hungry and smart. It motivates me to want to be more passionate about my work, more supportive of my team, and more mindful of putting team first.  It talks about the importance of finding a team identity, which is made up of a diverse and talented group of people.  And it discusses the value of hard work, dedication, and personal sacrifice. Team is at the core of our work in student affairs and residence, and although he is a professional athlete, I think we can all learn a lot from Patrick Patterson and the Toronto Raptors.  You never know, after you read it you might even become a fan! #wethenorth