Pat's Origin: Leaving Corporate Work

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Pat is the founder of The Table Group and the author of 11 books (including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team)which have sold over 5 million copies and been translated into more than 30 languages. The Wall Street Journal called him "one of the most in demand speakers in America." He has addressed millions of people at conferences and events around the world over the past 15 years. Pat has written for or been featured in numerous publications including Harvard Business Review, Inc., Fortune, Fast Company, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek. This is the second time Pat has been a guest on The Learning Leader Show. To listen to the first conversation we had, CLICK HERE.

Prior to founding The Table Group, Pat worked at Bain & Company, Oracle Corporation and Sybase.

Show Notes:

• The email he received from Miami Heat coach, Erik Spolestra, after his first appearance on The Learning Leader Show
  • How he helps professional sports teams
  • Why NFL teams focus on the wrong things when deciding who to draft
    • Teddy Bridgewater vs Johnny Manziel
  • The characteristics of a great teammate:
    • Humility
    • Hunger
    • Emotional Intelligence
  • The success of Nick Foles in The Super Bowl
    • The camaraderie built by coach Doug Pederson of The Philadelphia Eagles
• "I'm meant to work with people..."
• The origin story - How Pat started his own business... and why?
  • Potential to work with Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt
  • The biggest moment in the growth of his business? Speaking at Willowcreek Church(50,000 people watched)
• Doing a "talk" instead of thinking of it as a "keynote speech" -- "I'm just talking with the audience."
• Why turn leadership issues into fables?
  • "We don't read books, but we read yours." They are so interesting. "I keep reading your books because I want to see what happens next."
• Leaders must:
  • Have difficult conversations -- must do the hard things
• What are the biggest mistakes a new manager makes?
  • "You cannot avoid the discomfort"
  • "Being a leader is uncomfortable"
• The best leaders are "pushers"
  • The Steve Jobs and Jony Ive story -- "You're so vain"
• Keys to a great culture:
  • Leaders must be intentional about behaviors they want
  • Must be brutally intolerant if people don't do it well
• How Pat helped Southwest Airlines
  • Codify their culture -- It had never been done before
• Working with Chic-fil-a
  • Their CEO wasn't too big to do dishes and clear the plates
  • "They gave snacks for my trip home"
• "You don't come up with culture, you look at what's there"
• The importance of stories
• Pat's business: There are 45 consultants all over the world. They are:
  • Humble
  • Hungry
  • Smart

"Being a leader is uncomfortable. You cannot avoid the discomfort."

Social Media:

• Follow Pat on Twitter: @patricklencioni
• Read: The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12