Cocktails with Carl

Defining the Ultimate Teammate

As an owner and leader of a business, I get the greatest joy watching a team of people work together to accomplish a goal and achieve success. I think the reason I get so much satisfaction out of it is because I know how difficult it is to build a great team. Why is it so hard? Well, when putting together a team, you are most likely dealing with a very diverse and imperfect group of human beings. We’re talking about people that come from all different backgrounds and cultures. People that have different personalities, talents, skills, education levels, and experiences. It’s a lot to manage and the challenge is to bring all those personal elements together properly in order to form great team chemistry. The best way to get there is by finding what I call the ultimate teammate.

What exactly defines the ultimate teammate can vary depending on the leader or coach. In my opinion, this person is already naturally conditioned (or trained) to excel in a team structure based on their past experience. And they almost always embody the following 4 qualities.

Accountability

In order to have a high performing team every member must hold themselves to the highest possible standards. Showing up on time, owning your responsibilities, and accepting constructive criticism are a few important ways to demonstrate accountability.

Humility

Superstars that need the spotlight all the time are a cancer to a team. Sure, the best teams may have a superstar but they don’t have anyone that puts themself ahead of the team. The team is always more important than the individual. Inflated ego’s need to be removed.

Hardworking

Have you ever been on a team with a slacker? This is the person that is always looking for an excuse to get out of doing something. If you have, you know how divisive it can be. Successful teams don’t have slackers. In fact, the greatest teams are usually made up of members that are willing to go way above and beyond the standard level of expectation.

Self Awareness

The ability to understand your strengths and weaknesses and know your role on the team is an underrated characteristic of an excellent teammate. Team players will not only seek out feedback from other members, they will also go through a consistent and intense self evaluation process, then apply those findings to help move the team forward.

If you’re leading a team of people, how do you define and recruit the ultimate teammate? It’s a lot harder than most people think it is. My suggestion is to think about it as a process, start establishing some guidelines and stay disciplined to it. In the end you’ll find it easier to achieve that great team chemistry and that is going to naturally lead to a lot more winning.

Good Luck!

Cocktail Recipe: The Paper Plane

This drink is defined as an “aperitivo” which means a drink consumed before the meal.

¾ ozs. Amaro

¾ ozs. Aperol

¾ ozs. Bourbon

¾ ozs. Fresh Lemon Juice

Ice

Combine all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds-until the outside of the shaker is frosty. Strain into a coupe glass. Enjoy.