The Ideal Team Player

Jeff, Clare, and Bobby talk about the challenges they face with hiring the staff they need for two simultaneous projects. They figure that while they likely need 60 new hires, because of the turnover, that number is closer to 90-100. Clare and Bobby see this as unrealistic, especially given their time constraints. On the other hand, Jeff sees it differently. He argues that the company’s efficiency will increase drastically if a true team culture is instilled in the workforce. He also learns of a prior project in which the company had renovated a school. During the project, one of the lead engineers left the company, while another engineer who had caused problems was allowed to stay. This kind of pattern in the company is what Jeff hopes to change. Jeff proposes the most direct way to initiate immediate change is to figure out who the problem employees are, offer them an opportunity to change their ways, and, if they don’t, let them go.

As the three continue their conversation, Jeff asks Bobby and Clare what drew them to Bob and to the company. Bobby points out an anecdote in which Bob had treated, and spoken to, a rich client in the same manner as he had with the day laborers who were working on a stone-laying project. Bobby admires this about Bob and uses the story to highlight the man’s apparent ability to instill teamwork in his employees. Jeff tells Clare and Bobby that he is meeting Ben for a coffee, both to learn more about the company and to learn more about teamwork. Ben is a highly accomplished high school basketball coach known for winning championships with a team with less talent than their opponents.

Jeff meets his cousin Ben, and, after some small talk, Jeff probes into how Ben is able to identify which kids are team players and which are not. Ben says that much of it is instinct, but he adds that a kid’s work habits can reveal how much of a team player one is or is not. Generally, the ones who want to practice and work at their skills on their own time are more inclined to be team players than those who do not. He then mentions that his father, Bob, was his coach for youth sports. He says that Bob did not like when players spoke differently to the coach than they did to others, and he especially did not like players who prioritized their own stats and playing time over the success of the team. He talks about one incident in which Bob benched a 10-year-old player for an entire game for being selfish—that player was Ben.

Two days later, Jeff convenes a meeting with Clare and Bobby. He requests that Clare compile a list of former and current employees who have all demonstrated negative or problematic behaviors. They casually refer to these people as “jackasses,” but Clare reminds them that some of the people still work for the company. Jeff agrees with Clare’s comment and says that none of the people should be viewed as bad people; instead, the three should perceive them as just not being a good fit. They circle Nancy Morris’s name and that of Anthony Benson, the engineer on the school project who exhibited problematic behavior. After discussing the negative traits of all the employees, Jeff doesn’t feel closer to a quantitative measure of what they should be looking for in new hires as it relates to being a good team player.

Jeff calls Bobby on his drive home and suggests that they hire an assistant who can help them with the two projects. At first, Bobby is reluctant because he and Clare are such a good team themselves, and he does not want their chemistry disrupted. Jeff reminds him that because of the magnitude of the challenge facing them, their chemistry could already be at risk. Bobby agrees, and eventually so does Clare. Jeff and Clare consult Bobby about whether he can think of anyone to hire, and he comes up with Ted Marchbanks, a now-retired project manager who used to work for a large contracting firm. Bobby insists that Ted could do the job with ease and arranges a dinner meeting with him.

Ted arrives at the restaurant, and, after small talk with Bobby, says hello to Clare and that he remembers her from a conference. He then inquires into Bob’s health and shakes hands with Jeff. The dinner meeting goes well, and Bobby wants to hire Ted immediately. Jeff is a bit more apprehensive and wants to make sure he is the right guy for the job, as well-suited as he might seem. The three discuss their prior conversations about team players and what sorts of traits disqualify someone from that label. Jeff presents the list, which includes ego, hard work, and people. As they are about to reflect further on these traits, Jeff and Bobby realize they have a meeting with the hospital architects and postpone the conversation until later.