KSS April Edition eKourier 2025

TRAINING

ARE YOU A TEAM PLAYER?

Interviewing for Humility : Ask about past successes and listen for “I” vs. “We” language. Ideal team players credit others and acknowledge their own mistakes. Assessing Hunger : Look for a track record of going above and beyond. Ask candidates about times they took initia- tive or worked on something without being asked. Testing People Smarts : Observe how they interact. Do they pick up on social cues? Can they read the room and adapt their communication? Developing Your Team : If someone lacks in one area, help them grow! Encourage humility with feedback, cultivate hunger by setting ambitious goals, and sharpen people smarts through mentorship and communication. Final Thought : The Power of a Balanced Team. A team full of hungry but not humble people? You get cutthroat competition. A team of humble but not hungry people? Great culture, but no drive. A team of smart but not humble people? Manipulation and office politics. But a team full of Humble, Hungry, and Smart people? That’s the goal. That’s where the magic happens. So, are you the ideal team player? If not, where can you improve? And if you’re a leader, how can you build a team that embodies these values? Whatever your role or function in the business, embracing these three qualities will make you a better team member, leader, and professional. Time to level up! If you would like to know more about the subject matter don’t hesitate to reach out to me or your Operations Manager.

L to R: Zackery Grimley (Pakenham), Cameron Gaddes (Belmont), Antony O'Dwyer (Erina), Craig Maguire (TSM NSW), Michael Chan (TSM NSW), Conor Kennedy (THQ), Suzie Maharjan (THQ), Stuart Officen (Adelaide Airport), Dana Pinkerton (Maroochydore), Jonas Silva (TSM NSW).

E ver wondered what makes Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Ideal Team Player, breaks it down into three key virtues. Humble, Hungry, and Smart. If you’ve got all three, congratu- lations you’re the kind of person every team needs! If you’re missing one (or more), don’t worry, self-awareness is the first step to improvement. Humble – What does this mean? And more importantly what does it mean at KSS? No big egos here! Ideal team players focus on the success of the team rather than themselves. They give credit where it’s due, are open to feedback, and don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room to make an impact. someone truly great to work with? The Three Essential Qualities Hungry – These are the Team Members that are self-motivated, always looking for ways to contribute more, and naturally go the extra mile. They don’t wait to be told what to do, they take initiative and keep pushing for excellence. Smart – Not just book-smart, but people-smart. They understand team dynamics, pick up on social cues, and communicate effectively. They

know when to listen, when to speak, and how to work well with different personalities.

So, how do you measure up?

Think about your own approach to teamwork. If you had to rate yourself from 1 to 3 (where 1 = Excellent, 2 = Needs Focus, and 3 = Needs Work), how would you rank yourself on these three traits? Most people have a natural strength in one or two areas but might need to develop the third. For example, someone might be super hungry and smart but lack humility, which can make them come across as arrogant or overly competitive. Another person might be humble and smart, but without hunger, they may not take enough initiative. Like many things in life these traits can be developed with the right mindset and effort. As leaders how do we spot and more importantly develop ideal team players? If you’re hiring or leading a team, finding people with these three qualities is a game-changer. Here’s how you can identify and nurture them:

Wayne Brown Learning & Development Manager

11 Kennards Kourier April 2025