Quotes from Patrick Lencioni

Well, strategy. The competitive landscape. Morale. The dynamics of the executive team. Top performers. Bottom performers. Customer satisfaction. Pretty much everything that has a long-term impact on the success of the company. Stuff you just can't cover in weekly or monthly meetings.

teamwork ultimately comes down to practicing a small set of principles over a long period of time

of the team members. Kathryn continued, "I want all of you challenging each other about what you are doing, how you are spending your time, whether you are making enough progress.

Rather than avoiding a feeling, your goal should be to move toward the emotion, into it, and eventually through it.

No, trust is not the same as assuming everyone is on the same page as you, and that they don't need to be pushed. Trust is knowing that when a team member does push you, they're doing it because they care about the team.

Good leaders drive commitment among the team by first extracting every possible idea, opinion, and perspective from the team. Then, comfortable that nothing has been left off the table, they must have the courage and wisdom to step up and make a decision, one that is sure to run counter to at least one of the team members, and usually more.

Harmony itself is good, I suppose, if it comes as a result of working through issues constantly and cycling through conflict. But if it comes only as a result of people holding back their opinions and honest concerns, then it's a bad thing.

Don't be afraid of your emotional "mistakes." They tell you what you should be doing differently and provide the steady stream of information you need to understand yourself as life unfolds.

Sounds crazy and counterintuitive, I know, but it is true.

Naked service providers are so concerned about helping a client that they are willing to ask questions and make suggestions even if those questions and suggestions could turn out to be laughably wrong. They

See, management is an everyday thing. Strategy and financial reporting and planning are not.

enduring, successful companies adhered strictly to a fundamental set of principles that guided their behaviors and decisions over time, preserving the essence of the organization.

Yeah, in my last company we called it 'disagree and commit.' You can argue about something and disagree, but still commit to it as though everyone originally bought into the decision completely.

an organization that has properly identified its values and adheres to them will naturally attract the right employees and repel the wrong ones.

Admit to yourself that your bad mood is hanging a cloud over everything you see, and remind yourself that your moods are not permanent. Your emotions change all the time, and low moods will pass if you allow them to.

But I can assure you that we're going to find the right person. That means everyone here will be interviewing candidates and pushing to find someone who can demonstrate trust, engage in conflict, commit to group decisions, hold their peers accountable, and focus on the results of the team, not their own ego.

Building an effective, cohesive team is extremely hard. But it's also simple.

In spite of its undeniable power, so many leaders struggle to embrace organizational health (which I'll be defining shortly) because they quietly believe they are too sophisticated, too busy, or too analytical to bother with it. In other words, they think it's beneath them.

All great relationships, the ones that last over time, require productive conflict in order to grow. This

How will we succeed? Or put another way, How will we make decisions in a purposeful, intentional, and unique way that allow us to maximize our success and differentiate us from our competitors?

Teamwork remains the one sustainable competitive advantage that has been largely untapped.

A healthy organization is one that has less politics and confusion, higher morale and productivity, lower unwanted turnover, and lower recruiting costs than an unhealthy one.

Great teams do not hold back with one another," she said. "They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal.

DISCIPLINE FOUR: REINFORCE ORGANIZATIONAL CLARITY THROUGH HUMAN SYSTEMS.