“Glue Player” (GP) or Glue Guy (GG) is a recent management phrase
borrowed from basketball and baseball usage dating back to the late 1970s. The term describes someone in a team “who holds everything together, often without seeking recognition for their efforts.”
GPs have other attributes: they “lead from behind.” They let the stars shine while making sure the team succeeds as a whole.
In my heyday, I had a different term for a GG, “Spark Plug.”*
That was my designation for a team player endowed with calmness, emotional intelligence, humor, and a can-do attitude. They help the organization realize important objectives, act on good ideas, initiate, need little encouragement, follow through, and collaborate, and is so doing, inspire others. Importantly, they avoid the limelight and do not gossip.
GPs do not appear in formal workplace taxonomies, but some intimate their existence.
Kelley’s chart of followers lists out: Stars (effective followers), Alienated followers (the un-glue player!), Sheep, who “go along to get along” and Yes Men, who medievally owe allegiance to the boss.
But, the most inscrutable group is in the middle of Kelley’s chart: Survivors/Pragmatists.
They are the ones that can be most influenced in positive ways by glue players. Why? Because unlike the boss, the GP is one of them doing the work.
Probably the most effective Glue Guy, I ever worked with, modeled glue-ism outside the workplace. Decades ago, he established a Guys Group and has kept it going, however diminished in numbers.
He is the glue that holds the group together. Without his willingness to organize, to reach out, to recruit new members, to get us to suggest our next adventures, there would not be a Guys Group.
Another taxonomy.
Writing in the Harvard Business Review in June of 2005, Casciaro and Lobo identified “Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools and the Formation of Social Networks.”
Their attempt at an abbreviated taxonomy included Lovable stars, Lovable fools and Competent and incompetent jerks. Incompetent jerks are akin to un-glue players or, in my case, fouled spark plugs.
Where’s the GP in the Casciaro and Lobo chart? The GP obviously could be the Lovable star or, more likely, if not the best player on the team, the Lovable Fool.
In Kelley’s chart, as mentioned above, the un-GP is the Alienated Follower, a passive but independent-minded employee who seeks to undermine the organization’s leader.
The three-time world cup winner, New Zealand All Blacks rugby team has a word for the un-glue player, “Dickhead.”
So, If you are a jerk (or a Bozo, Dork, Fathead, Nincompoop, Dunderhead, Twerp, Bamboozler, Faker,) you won’t play for the All Blacks.
This narcissistic variety of Kelley’s Alienated Follower would undercut the Maori concept of whānau or the “extended family” of the team. There’s a humble Maori saying that sums up the meaning of the whānau for the individual in a team: “My strength does not come from my individuality, my strength comes from many.”
That sounds like what the Glue Player is all about.
So, no matter what term you use – glue player or spark plug – that kind of team player is quintessential for a top performing team.
Lauren Rice, the starting forward on the women’s basketball team that I studied in 1999/2000,
was a GP and more!.
Over a full season in practice and in games, I saw her carry out what one researcher
identifies as four “invisible roles”: Catalyst (one who pushes team members to question assumptions and reframe challenges); Mentor (one who helps transfer knowledge and cultural norms to new team members); Integrator (someone who understands the game and how it relates to life off the court; and, of course, The Glue, who promotes team chemistry and creates emotional bonds.
Leadership
Leaders have an important role in recognizing and encouraging Glue Guys and Gals.
In my own case, I should have had many more conversations with my “spark plugs”.
I assumed they, the spark plugs, understood – tacitly – how they were doing and that I valued them, so I did not need to do anything special about it.
Wrong.
I should have spent more time on what the GGs were doing and registering to them not only my approval but also how they were making a difference; how important they were to the work team and my leadership.
And, importantly, I’d want to hear what was most on their minds; What do they want to do more of and what do they want to do less of?
And, should I be more available to them and what can I do less of, more of?
*See Chapter 13: “The Spark Plug: A Leader’s Catalyst for Change” in my Leading from the Middle book.
N.B. For other essays on numerous other topics go to my Nucleus archive from 2010-early 2025.
© Copyright all text John Lubans 2025