I’m a big Patrick Lencioni fan and have been on a bit of a book binge, devouring three of his books in quick succession. I love how simply he lays out his ideas and shares his leadership principles through engaging fables.
The most recent book I read was *The Five Temptations of a CEO*. But please, don’t stop reading just because you’re not a CEO or have no plans to become one. These are principles anyone can live by to be more effective and, dare I say, successful. They can be used at any stage, in any relationship, personal or business.
I always recommend reading books for yourself because I’m about to share my interpretations—my insights might differ from the author’s intention and will probably be different from what you’d take away. That’s part of the fun!
Temptation 1: Ego vs. Team Results
The analogy here is the CEO who says, ‘Now that I have the job, I’ve made it!’ This attitude suggests the role itself is the reward for past hard work and now it’s time to coast. In reality, the most effective CEOs and leaders see their promotion as an opportunity with even greater responsibilities—the point where the real work begins. Effective leaders view their role and title as privileges and responsibilities to ensure the success of the business, the team, and their direct reports, not the other way around.
Those who fall into this temptation care more about their status, perks, and reputation than the welfare of those they lead.
QUESTION: Do you see your role as a privilege or an entitlement?
Temptation 2: Popularity Over Accountability
Effective leaders sometimes have to make tough and unpopular decisions: redundancies, budget cuts, shifts in direction, or implementing a new strategy. They also set clear expectations and hold their team accountable.
Holding people accountable and making difficult decisions can be lonely and alienating, but that’s part of the job.
QUESTION: When faced with a difficult situation, do you make the popular or easy choice, or do you make the right one?
Temptation 3: Certainty Over Clarity
Business and life rarely follow a perfect plan, and the higher up you are in an organisation, the more uncertainty you face. Decisions often have to be made without sufficient information, and stakeholders can have conflicting opinions.
Sometimes, not making a decision is worse than making the wrong one. Leaders who insist on having all the information before acting can create chaos. Team members may continue pursuing an unclear strategy or, worse, make their own assumptions and decisions in the absence of leadership.
Effective leaders know there’s no such thing as perfection and that mistakes are inevitable.
QUESTION: If you asked your team about this quarter’s strategic objectives and key activities, could they tell you? If not, why, and what will you do to fix it?
Temptation 4: Harmony Over Conflict
Watch out if a leader says, ‘We all get along and never disagree—it’s great that we’re always aligned.’ This person values harmony over healthy conflict and will, consciously or unconsciously, encourage agreement while discouraging debate.
The need for harmony is damaging. It stifles issues from being raised and resolved, hampers innovation, and deadens motivation, preventing talented people from challenging themselves and others.
QUESTION: In your team, do you encourage healthy, constructive debate, or do you push for harmony and consensus?
Temptation 5: Invulnerability Over Trust
Ah, the vulnerability debate. Should a leader show vulnerability? How authentic is too authentic? Is vulnerability a weakness? Will admitting failure prove you’re not up for the job?
Modern thinking, especially regarding leading the new wave of Gen Z employees, suggests otherwise. The most effective leaders create a safe space where their team can share concerns, vulnerabilities, failures, and successes without fear. And to do this, leaders need to trust their team enough to be vulnerable too. Of course, there’s a balance—effective leaders share appropriately, showing they can’t do it alone without falling apart at every setback.
QUESTION: How often do you share with your team when you need their advice or input? If not, why not?
I really loved this book, and I highly recommend it. If you have read it or do read it, let me know what insights you gained!
