Identifying Star Players and Team Players

In his 2019 work, Simon Sinek presents a simple yet insightful way to differentiate between star players and team players. Sinek focuses on two key traits: performance and trust. Drawing from his experience with the Navy SEALs, he asked team members which trait they valued more. Surprisingly, while high performers were abundant, trustworthiness was sometimes lacking. This observation applies to organizations across various sectors. Sinek's question, "Who is the a**hole?" (used for emphasis), helps identify those who prioritize individual success over team cohesion.

A top performer may indeed be a star player, but this can sometimes come at the expense of the team. Trustworthy leaders, as Kay (2015) suggests, believe in the potential of others, while star players may prioritize their own achievements.

Would I hire a star player? Absolutely, but only if their mindset is geared towards teamwork and collaboration. A true team player values appreciation and focuses on collective progress, not individual glory. An African proverb summarizes this well: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Reference:

Kay, D. (2015). Great Leaders are Trustworthy. About Leaders. Retrieved 11 March 2021, from https://aboutleaders.com/leadership-skills-1-great-leaders-are-trustworthy/#gs.vwu1b2. 

Sinek, S. (2019). Performance vs. Trust [Video]. Retrieved 11 March 2021, from https://fb.watch/4aj9tBnaVa/.