The US Olympic team may not win gold. Or any medal for that matter. But they’ve already proven something that holds true across any team or organization.

Role players are critical.

Some people thrive in the limelight and need to constantly showcase their skills. Others like keeping a low profile, working in the corners, but always ready to make a big play.  And there are those who bring a healthy mix of skill and grit.

It’s great to have all of them on your team. As long as you know the proper mix.

And as long as you have the same goal—winning. Which in our world means producing the best work possible.

The USA hockey team has a great mix. Scorers. Skilled defensemen. A stellar netminder. And guys who just know how to make plays.

So what does your team need? Before you go corralling a group of so-called all-stars, you might want to figure that out.

- TJ Bennett