The Ideal Team Player

Bob’s surgery is successful, which puts everyone at ease for a short time. The three company executives return to the discussion from the previous section and continue to probe into their ideas on what kinds of traits identify a team player. They discuss a former employee named Tommy Burleson, whom Clare and Bobby both maintain was a very nice guy. He was able to get his work done; however, he did not show any interest in going above and beyond. He lacked passion in his work, a term that the three executives modify to “hungry.” They then discuss ego, which eventually morphs into “humility” and then “smart,” which they use to mean emotional intelligence or people smarts. They recognize that Ted definitely possesses the last trait, but they’re unsure if he possesses the other two. Jeff draws a Venn diagram on a whiteboard, and they proceed to place 23 of the company’s best employees within the three circles. The names of a handful of them land in the overlapping section of the diagram, while the majority land somewhere outside of it. After they conclude their discussion, they prepare for the second formal interview with Ted that will take place the following day.