1.Be Honest. Authenticity is in, surface-level "political correctness" is out. Be real. If there is gossip or rumors, squelch them. Be willing to confront one another. 2. Be Grateful. If there's a reason to celebrate, take time to do it. This is the thing that gets lost or gets left out the most.

3. Be Hustlers. Listen to Seth Godin, Scott Belsky, David Allen, Jason Fried, Gary Vaynerchuk, and others. The new label of a great employee is someone who hustles and is a linchpin. Same goes for teams. Good teams with great hustlers become great teams.

4. Be Generous. Generous towards vendors, partners, and outside relationships, as well as generous to each other. Most people immediately think money, and that's part of it. But the broader context of being generous is willing to serve each other.

5. Be Excellent. Sounds like a mantra from a Bill and Ted movie, but this one is critical. Be GREAT at what you do. Better than anyone else. Great teams are winners. And winners always have a standard that is set a level above everyone else. Teams that are excellent at what they do attract team members who are excellent at what they do.