Humble, Hungry, and Smart: Cultivating Ideal Team Players in City Government

As we continue our exploration of my top six Patrick Lencioni books, crafting their insights specifically for city managers, today we turn to “The Ideal Team Player.” While this book wasn’t written with government organizations in mind, its principles offer valuable guidance for building high-performing teams in city management.

The Three Virtues of an Ideal Team Player

Lencioni identifies three essential virtues that make someone an ideal team player: Humble, Hungry, and Smart. Let’s examine each through the lens of city management:

1. Humble

In city government, humility is crucial. It’s about putting the city’s needs above personal recognition.

City Management Context: Humble leaders in city government give credit to their teams and elected officials, admit mistakes while taking ownership of failures publicly, and are open to ideas from all levels of the organization and the community.

Action Step: In your next staff meeting, start by acknowledging a recent mistake and what you learned from it. Encourage your department heads to do the same.

2. Hungry

Hunger in city management translates to a strong desire to serve and improve the community.

City Management Context: Hungry city employees go above and beyond their job descriptions, actively seek solutions to city challenges, and intentionally look for ways to enhance public services.

Action Step: Implement a system to recognize and reward employees who demonstrate initiative in improving city services or operations.

3. Smart

In Lencioni’s context, smart refers to emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, which are vital in the politically charged environment of city government.

City Management Context: Smart city leaders navigate complex stakeholder relationships effectively, communicate clearly with diverse audiences, and manage conflicts constructively.

Action Step: Offer emotional intelligence training for your leadership team, focusing on scenarios specific to city government interactions.

Applying the Model in City Government

Hiring and Recruitment

In the public sector, where hiring processes can be rigid, focus on these virtues in your interviews:

1. Ask for specific examples of when candidates put team or community needs above personal recognition.
2. Explore their motivations for public service and past initiatives they’ve taken.
3. Present scenarios that test their ability to navigate complex interpersonal situations common in city government.

Developing Current Staff

1. Humble: Encourage a culture of open feedback and idea-sharing across departments.
2. Hungry: Create opportunities for cross-departmental projects that allow employees to stretch beyond their usual roles.
3. Smart: Provide regular training on effective communication with diverse community stakeholders.

Team Assessment

Conduct a team assessment based on these three virtues:

1. Are your department heads able to collaborate without competing for resources or recognition?
2. Do they proactively seek ways to improve city services, even outside their departments?
3. How effectively do they manage relationships with each other, staff, elected officials, and the public?

Leadership Modeling

As a city manager, model these virtues yourself:

1. Humble: Regularly seek feedback from your team and the community. Admit when city initiatives don’t go as planned and share lessons learned.
2. Hungry: Continuously educate yourself on innovative city management practices and actively participate in professional networks.
3. Smart: Work on building strong relationships with all stakeholders, from entry-level staff to elected officials and community leaders.

Overcoming Challenges in Cultivating Ideal Team Players

1. Civil Service Constraints: While civil service rules may limit hiring flexibility, focus on developing these virtues in your current staff through training and culture-building.
2. Political Pressures: Create a buffer for your team from undue political influences, allowing them to focus on serving the community humbly and hungrily.
3. Public Scrutiny: Prepare your team to handle public scrutiny with emotional intelligence, turning potential conflicts into opportunities for transparent communication.

Conclusion: Building a City Government of Ideal Team Players

By focusing on cultivating humble, hungry, and smart team players, you can create a city government that is more collaborative, innovative, and responsive to community needs. This approach can help break down silos between departments, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and enhance public trust in local government.

Remember, the goal isn’t perfection, but progress. Every step towards embodying these virtues is a step towards more effective city management and better service to your community.

As you reflect on these virtues, consider: Which of these does your team excel at? Where is there room for improvement? What’s one step you can take this week to foster these virtues in your organization?

Your role in cultivating these virtues is crucial. By consistently working to develop humble, hungry, and smart team players, you’re not just improving your team’s effectiveness – you’re laying the groundwork for a more dynamic, responsive, and successful city government.