Who Are Your “Glue Guys?”
Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of coaching my 12-year-old son play team sports. Like many parents I notice the points/goals scored and the visible moments that draw applause. Yet what captures my attention, from my coaching experience, rarely shows up on a stat sheet or highlight clip. My son has become what coaches often call “the glue guy.”
The glue guy does not always lead the team in scoring. He may not have the smoothest shot or the fastest first step. What he consistently brings is effort that quietly holds everything together. He fights for rebounds. He plays defense with persistence. He dives for loose balls. He sets screens. He does the work that is physically demanding and often goes unnoticed. He outworks everyone, while seeking absolutely no attention. These actions do not usually produce dramatic reactions, but they change games.
Every successful team depends on someone willing to embrace that role. Talent matters. Strategy matters. Coaching matters. Still, none of those elements function at full strength without players committed to the little things. Possessions are extended through effort. Opponents are disrupted through discipline. Momentum shifts through hustle. The glue guy influences outcomes in ways that are subtle but decisive.
Watching this unfold has led me to think about environments far removed from a gymnasium. Offices and organizations operate under remarkably similar dynamics. Results are celebrated. Recognition often gravitates toward visible achievements. Yet behind nearly every high performing team stands an individual who stabilizes, supports, and strengthens everyone else.
Who is that person in your office?
Who takes on the tasks others avoid? Who steps in when something simply needs to get done? Who offers encouragement without calculation? Who celebrates the success of colleagues without redirecting attention? Who seeks satisfaction in collective accomplishment rather than personal visibility?
These individuals are invaluable. They enhance culture. They increase trust. They elevate performance. When leaders are perceptive and thoughtful, they recognize the disproportionate impact of such contributors. When leaders are not, these same people may remain invisible despite shaping team success every day.
Finding people who naturally operate this way is difficult. The traits involved are demanding. Consistency, humility, resilience, and discipline are not easily taught. They are even harder to sustain. They have to be comfortable with themself in their own skin, confident but not cocky, and almost leaning into what Maslow called “self-actualized.” Yet when a glue guy is part of the effort, they become foundational to organizational effectiveness.
As a father and his coach, observing my son embrace this identity fills me with great hope. Not because of athletic outcomes alone, but because of what the behavior signals about his character and his depth of self-understanding. And he knows the value of this contribution. A willingness to work hard. A comfort with shared credit. A commitment to team success. And he revels in the role. These patterns extend well beyond sports and will serve him well---and the teams he is on throughout his professional career.
Life offers countless arenas where the little things determine long term results. Habits of effort, reliability, and generosity tend to compound over time. If being the glue guy becomes part of how my son approaches challenges, relationships, and responsibilities, the implications are significant.
That prospect makes me excited for what might be possible in his life…and very, very proud.
