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The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable

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Absorbing, compelling, and utterly memorable, The Five Temptations of a CEO is like no other business book that's come before. Author Patrick Lencioni—noted screenplay writer and sought-after executive coach -- deftly tells the tale of a young CEO who, facing his first annual board review, knows he is failing, but doesn't know why. "This book provides extraordinary insight into the pitfalls that leaders face when they lose sight of the true measure of success: results. This model is required reading for my staff."
—Eric Schmidt, chairman of the board and CEO, Novell Any executive can learn how to: Refreshingly original and utterly compelling, the story of this executive (written to be read in one sitting) will be enjoyed, remembered, and reread for years to come. It serves a timeless and potent reminder that success as a leader can come down to practicing a few simple behaviors—behaviors that are painfully difficult for each of us to master. "Lencioni delivers a provocative message: CEOs mainly have themselves to blame when things go wrong. If you're a CEO (or any manager for that matter), do you have the courage to face the blame? Doing so could change your future-for the better."
—Dr. Jerry Porras, coauthor, Built to Last ; professor, Stanford School of Business You won't find any dry management rhetoric in this razor-sharp novelette. Apply these riveting lessons in leadership with the self-assessment at the end of the book. It will change your career!

134 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

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About the author

Patrick Lencioni

106 books2,266 followers
Patrick Lencioni is a New York Times best-selling author, speaker, consultant and founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to helping organizations become healthy. Lencioni’s ideas around leadership, teamwork and employee engagement have impacted organizations around the globe. His books have sold nearly three million copies worldwide.

When Lencioni is not writing, he consults to CEOs and their executive teams, helping them to become more cohesive within the context of their business strategy. The widespread appeal of Lencioni’s leadership models have yielded a diverse base of clients, including a mix of Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, the military, non-profits, universities and churches. In addition, Lencioni speaks to thousands of leaders each year at world class organizations and national conferences. He was recently cited in the Wall Street Journal as one of the most sought-after business speakers in the nation.

Prior to founding his firm, he worked as a corporate executive for Sybase, Oracle and Bain & Company. He also served on the National Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
Profile Image for K.D. Absolutely.
1,820 reviews
February 19, 2015
Don't be misled by the title. Even if you are just a manager, supervisor, team lead or even a parent, that makes you a leader and you can learn a thing or two about your role in your team.

The book is told via a fable. It tells the story of Andrew a first-time CEO who on the eve of this first presentation to the board found himself sharing a coach with Charlie in a midnight train on his way back home from his office. During their conversation they were joined by 3 more people who attested to the five common pitfalls of a leader (again, not just CEO). They are the following:
1. Status over Results. This is the most common one. Charlie asks Andrew: "What is the most memorable day in your career so far?" Andrew: "When I became a CEO." Gotcha. Most leaders would answer this way, right? When I was promoted. When I became this and that. A successful leader who is focused on results should say: "When I exceeded the sales target by 200%" or "When I finally implemented a difficult project."

2. Popularity over Accountability. Leaders are not meant to be popular because you are supposed to make decisions that can be painful to your people. This does not mean also that when you can fire somebody without feeling regrets, that's the measure that you are a tough leader. A leader should have a high EQ but not a stone heart. Just like in the fable, firing his sales manager does not mean Andrew is not afraid of being unpopular but the fact that he did not give frequent evaluations when the sales manager was not meeting his expectation, that means he did not do his job as a good leader.

3. Certainty over Clarity. With the many sources of data, with data available in myriad of ways via technology, the job of a leader is becoming more complex. Stick with the basics and use common sense. Otherwise, you will be a victim of "analysis paralysis."

4. Harmony over Conflict. Loyal opposition is how my former boss calls this. It is better to argue during meetings and then afterwards support the one that the group decides to go with. Easier said than done especially in the Philippines when leaders can be overly sensitive about their opinion and all those who oppose are not seen as supportive.

5. Invulnerability over Trust. Don't be paranoid. Don't think that your subordinates are out there to take over your job. They are your allies. You have to trust your job with them so they will also trust you to support them.
Very useful book. Easy to read. Can be finished in day or two. Well, I am a slow reader but really this book is meant to be read slowly so you will appreciate the lessons well.

It is always nice to read non-fiction once in a while.
Profile Image for Farnoosh Brock.
Author 18 books223 followers
April 14, 2013
What is it like to be a CEO of a company? I have wondered about this question for as long as I have dreamt to be in the position of a Chief Executive someday, somehow, somewhere. But since reading this book years ago, I gave all that up to go start my own company ....

Now, about this book: Having thoroughly enjoyed Lencioni's fable in “Five Dysfunctions of a Team”, I delved into this fable with the same anticipation.

Lencioni writes well – short and sweet – I finished this one on the treadmill! This book is best read and digested in one single sitting (or running or walking); it is the type of gripping fable that will lose momentum with long pauses in between reads, and possibly give you less than the impact over time that I experienced from it. Possibly.

A great leadership fable, this is the story of a disheartened CEO, Andrew, as he leaves the office one evening, after having just fired his chief marketing officer. He encounters a janitor on the commuter train home. The janitor, Charlie, starts a conversation – which the CEO naturally ignores at first.

Charlie, un-phased, continues to question Andrew’s recent decision and delves deep into his thoughts through sharp questions: Why did you have to fire your chief marketing officer? Not to worry, the janitor is not about to spout job protection laws for the less than worthy employees and suggest pity rather than merit to keep them on payroll. No, thank Heavens. He is interested in the core motive and intent with which the CEO made that hasty decision.

Here's the best summary of the book:

The 5 Temptations of a CEO:

To be more interested in protecting your career status than you are in making sure your company achieves results
To want to be popular with your direct reports instead of holding them accountable
The temptation to ensure your decisions are correct; temptation to choose certainty over clarity (You will never have 100% of data for all your decisions)
The desire for harmony – the desire for people to get along rather than to have conflict
The desire for invulnerability – being vulnerable with your peers and direct reports, which is not a comfortable prospect but necessary
Overcoming the 5 temptations which results in a successful CEO:

Choose Trust over Invulnerability
Choose Conflict over Harmony
Choose Clarity over Certainty
Choose Accountability over Popularity
Choose Results over Status
Profile Image for Morgan Blackledge.
757 reviews2,400 followers
December 19, 2020
Another stupidly effective leadership fable by Patric Lencioni.

Don’t just read this.

Read it.

But in sum:

The 5 temptations CEO’s face are:

1. Prioritizing on status over results
2. Prioritizing popularity over accountability
3. Prioritizing certainty over clarity
4. Prioritizing harmony over productivity
5. Prioritizing invulnerability over trust

The challenge for CEO’s is to:

1. Always focus on results first. Status comes with success. Not the other way around.

2. Hold people accountable even if it makes you unpopular. Respect is adult, popularity is high school.

3. Make decisions based on clear principles, and don’t wait until you have certainty, because you simply can’t be certain all, or even some of the time.

4. Foster healthy and productive ideological conflict and debate. Make decisions. Then come together as a team once everyone has spoken their mind.

5. Allow yourself to be vulnerable by practicing radical honesty and candor. It builds trust. And you need that.

Great book.

I’m on to the next one.
Profile Image for Федор Кривов.
120 reviews11 followers
February 28, 2016
5 искушений руководителя, способных привести компанию к краху. Книга в стиле Ленсиони, бизнес-фикшн. Мое любимое искушение - №2: нравиться подчиненным вместо требования ответственности.
Profile Image for Mark.
207 reviews10 followers
March 9, 2017
Love everything Lencioni writes. Here is a quick summary in case you don't want to read a whole book lol
Temptation #1 – Status over Results
Unsuccessful CEO's focus on preserving their status within the organization, instead of on delivering performance and results. Watching a leader protect his turf at the expense of company performance is not uncommon, and is often evident following a promotion.
Temptation #2 – Popularity over Accountability
Unsuccessful CEO's do not hold "direct reports" accountable for delivering on commitments that drive results. This is often the result of the CEO's desire to be popular. In this case, however, nice guys finish last. Direct reports are not the CEOs support group. They are key employees or managers who must deliver results instead of excuses.
Temptation #3 – Certainty over Clarity
Unsuccessful CEO's make accuracy more important than clarity. "Analysis paralysis" is a great excuse for uncertainty and imperfection. Instead, strive for 80% accuracy in a reasonable amount of time. Just do it now, and don't worry about perfection. In our office we like to say that if you throw enough shit at the wall, some of it is bound to stick.
Temptation #4 – Harmony over Conflict
Unsuccessful CEO's believe that maintaining an atmosphere of harmony in which everybody agrees on everything is in an organization's best interest. It rarely is. Harmony restricts constructive conflict and the passionate interchange of ideas and opinions.
Temptation #5 – Invulnerability over Trust
Unsuccessful CEO's strive to be invaluable in order to protect their credibility. In other words, they fail to trust key people with their reputation and their ego. Instead, opening up to employees and showing vulnerability will result in a return of trust, respect and honesty.
Profile Image for Sergey Morovshik.
59 reviews13 followers
April 6, 2017
Продолжение "пяти пороков команды".
Важно и ценно для лидеров!
Profile Image for Donna.
330 reviews
July 11, 2020
This was a quick, digestible business book to read. I liked that it was set in a fable, it was a creative and fun way to present the information and make it not dry. It is information you can use at any level of the corporate ladder or if you have your own business. The principles can always be applied to help yourself maintain your goals, yet communicate clearly with those around you. I enjoyed it and found great nuggets of value in it.
Profile Image for Nicholas Cardot.
26 reviews4 followers
December 29, 2021
This was a unique approach to teaching leadership principles. By using the the fictional fable format and only keying in on five principles, it made them very easy to learn and internalize. I think they can have been explored with a bit more depth, but overall, I found it to be a wonderful approach to teaching leadership.
Profile Image for Joakim Achrén.
Author 2 books18 followers
May 24, 2021
This and Lencioni’s The Motive, the best books on leadership 🙌
Profile Image for Andrei Popescu.
146 reviews
May 2, 2024
“Shoot for the moon, you’ll end up in the stars anyway”, this is the catchphrase I use whenever someone asks me why I’m reading books addressed to CEO’s. Jokes aside, Patrick Lencioni’s book is not addressed only to CEO’s, post my lecture I learned some useful insight that I can easily apply in my day to day life so I can pave my road to success.

I loved how the book was structured, explaining some really good points that should help anyone in their professional and even personal life via a colourful narative that reminded me of the book “The Ghosts of Christmas”. Following Andy’s dreamlike experience in which he receives advice from past CEO’s of his company was an easy journey.

The insight I gathered are that the 5 temptations of a CEO are:
- Choosing Invulnerability over Trust
- Choosing Harmony over Conflict
- Choosing Certainty over Clarity
- Choosing Popularity over Accountability
- Choosing Status over Results

Each of the above were nicely explained with vivid examples, making a lot of sense. I personally feel that my greatest enemies would be the temptation one and four as I always think about how people perceive me, trying to do what seems to be fair only to grow in some people’s eyes.

This leadership fable was an easy read which I’d definitely recommend to anyone who’s willing to improve their leadership traits.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mindaugas Mozūras.
360 reviews222 followers
January 6, 2022
Quick and simple. I'm only not sure why this book has "CEO" in the title. I feel that the five temptations (status > results, popularity > accountability, certainty > clarity, harmony > productivity invulnerability > trust) can be applied to all leaders/managers.

26 reviews
July 21, 2018
door de verhaalvorm weer in no-time een inzicht overgedragen
leest gemakkelijk, theorie is meteen duidelijk, zeker als je ook hiervoor de 5 frustraties van teamwork van lencioni hebt gelezen
36 reviews23 followers
August 6, 2019
الكتاب دا مفيد لاي حد في منصب اداري وليس للرئيس التنفيذي فقط، انا لسه في بداية السلم الاداري ومش من طموحي خالص اوصل للمنصب دا في يوم من الايام، بالرغم من كدا استفدت جدا وكنت بقع في الخطأ التالت كتير ولكن ربنا كومني بمدير الله يمسيه بالخير علمني موقعش في الخطأ دا تاني، دلوقتي بقيت مدركة حاجات اكتر اداريا وأكيد الكتاب دا هيأثر علي سلوكياتي مع أفراد الفريق.

عجبني أسلوب السرد القصصي المشوق اللي الكاتب اعتمده وعجبني بره ان الكتاب مباشر ومختصر مفيد

وحقيقي نفسي اهدي الكتاب دا لرئيس تنفيذي اشتغلت معاه من كتر ما الكتاب مفيد لانه نفسه فعلا يحقق نتائج ولكن أدائه مش مرضي لوقوعه في ٤ أخطاء تم ذكرها.
Profile Image for Andrew.
359 reviews7 followers
December 8, 2019
Definitely worth the read!

I think leadership ables are one of the best ways to convey ideas in an entertaining way. There are some very good points made in this short book. I just wanted it to go a little deeper into each principle.
Profile Image for Bogdan Florin.
123 reviews44 followers
April 19, 2023
The Five Temptations

1. The first temptation of a CEO is to choose status over results.
2. The second temptation is to choose popularity over accountability.
3. The third temptation is to choose certainty over clarity.
4. The fourth temptation is to choose harmony over conflict.
5. The fifth temptation is to choose invulnerability over trust.


Strategies for overcoming the Five Temptations of a CEO:

1. Choosing Results over Status:
- Focus on setting clear goals and objectives for the organization and measure progress against them.
- Encourage and reward employees who prioritize achieving results over their own personal status.
- Develop a culture that values and recognizes results and accomplishments.

2. Choosing Accountability over Popularity:
- Establish a culture of accountability, where every employee is responsible for their actions and their impact on the organization.
- Encourage open and honest communication, where employees feel comfortable discussing problems and holding each other accountable.
- Celebrate successes and recognize employees who demonstrate a commitment to accountability.

3. Choosing Clarity over Certainty:
- Focus on clear and concise communication to ensure that everyone understands the organization's mission, vision, and goals.
- Encourage employees to ask questions and seek clarification when necessary.
- Embrace ambiguity and uncertainty as opportunities for growth and learning.

4. Choosing Conflict over Harmony:
- Create an environment where healthy conflict is encouraged and valued, and employees feel safe expressing differing opinions.
- Develop conflict resolution skills and techniques to help employees navigate difficult conversations and disagreements.
- Encourage employees to see conflict as an opportunity for growth and learning.


5. Choosing Trust over Invulnerability:
- Foster a culture of trust and transparency, where employees feel comfortable sharing information and expressing vulnerability.
- Lead by example and be willing to show vulnerability and admit mistakes.
- Encourage feedback and suggestions from employees, and act on their input to build trust and credibility.

Summary
Overall, the key to overcoming the Five Temptations of a CEO is to prioritize the needs of the organization and its people over personal gain or ego, and to lead with transparency, accountability, and a commitment to results.

The guys at Table Group put together a visual summary of the takeaways, with some additional action-steps for each one of them.


Key Quotes:

"The hardest thing for a CEO to do is to not chase what he or she thinks are good opportunities but instead to wait for the one great opportunity that aligns with the company's mission and goals."
"The job of a CEO is to be the keeper of the company's vision, values, and strategy, and to communicate them in a way that motivates and inspires."
"Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge."
"Trust is the foundation of leadership. Without trust, you cannot lead effectively."
"A true leader is someone who is willing to take risks and make sacrifices for the greater good of the company and its people."
"Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal."
"The most effective leaders are those who are willing to put the needs of the organization and its people before their own ego and personal gain."
"The greatest obstacle to success is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge."
"The best leaders are not those who have all the answers, but those who are willing to listen and learn from others."
"The key to success is not in avoiding mistakes, but in learning from them and using them as opportunities for growth and improvement."
Profile Image for Ashik Uzzaman.
237 reviews14 followers
April 25, 2021
Earlier this week I finished another good book from Management Guru Patrick Lencioni - "The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable". In his customary style, Patrick brings out the inner conflicts of the CEO of a San Francisco based company which many struggling CEOs experience. A temptation may be understood as a personal moral failure that becomes a contagion and can have devastating ripple effects. I have already enjoyed reading Patrick's other books - "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team", "The Ideal Team Player", "Death by Meeting", "The Truth About Employee Engagement", "The Motive", "Silos, Politics and Turf Wars", "The Advantage".

The temptations analyzed in this book are -

(1) Choosing Status Over Results: A common temptation for many CEOs is that they become more interested in protecting their career status than making sure their company achieves results. To identify it, the CEOs need to ask themselves - would it bother you greatly if your company exceeded its objectives but you remained somewhat anonymous relative to your peers in the industry? Patrick's advice to CEOs to overcome this temptation is - make results the most important measure of personal success or step down from the job.

(2) Choosing Popularity Over Accountability: Whether done consciously or not, many CEOs prefer to be popular with their direct reports (and let them off the hook) instead of holding them accountable. To identify it, the CEOs need to ask themselves - do you often find yourself reluctant to give negative feedback to your direct reports? Do you water down the negative feedback to make it more palatable? Patrick's advice to CEOs to overcome this temptation is - realize people are not always going to like you as you have to make difficult decisions. Find other places for your affirmation: family, friends, outside activities.

(3) Choosing Certainty Over Clarity: Many CEOs have the temptation to ensure that their decisions are correct. In choosing certainty over clarity, some CEOs fear being wrong so much that they wait until they are absolutely certain about something before they make a decision. But if you are unwilling to make decisions with limited information, you can’t achieve clarity. To identify it, the CEOs need to ask themselves - do you pride yourself on being intellectually precise? Patrick's advice to CEOs to overcome this temptation is - take decisive action when called for. If the decisions are wrong, when more information becomes available, admit the mistake and work on correcting it.

(4) Choosing Harmony Over Productive Conflict: The desire for harmony is natural for human beings, the fourth temptation of a CEO mentioned in this book; but harmony is like cancer to good decision making. What’s needed to make good decisions is not bad conflict, but productive ideological conflict, with passionate, heated conversations where people challenge one another without any permanent damage to their relationships. To identify it, the CEOs need to ask themselves - do you get uncomfortable at meetings if your direct reports argue? Patrick's advice to CEOs to overcome this temptation is - allow and cultivate healthy conflict from your staff and even your board. Guard against personal attacks but do not mistake heated discussion for it.

(5) Choosing Invulnerability Over Trust: CEOs must trust their employees, even when it feels like they are putting their careers in the hands of others. But before a CEO can trust others, she has to be vulnerable. People who trust one another aren’t worried about holding back their opinions or their passions. They will return that trust with respect and honesty, and with a desire to be vulnerable among their peers. To identify it, the CEOs need to ask themselves - do you try to keep your greatest weaknesses secret from your direct reports? Patrick's advice to CEOs to overcome this temptation is - actively encourage your staff to challenge your ideas.

Source: http://www.dragon-bishop.com/2021/04/...
Profile Image for Bill Pence.
Author 1 book1,039 followers
May 17, 2021
This anniversary edition of Patrick Lencioni’s first book will be relevant to not only CEO’s, but to all leaders. If you are familiar with Lencioni’s books, he tells a story via a “leadership fable” and then ends the book with a non-fiction discussion of the “Model”, and in this book he also includes a self-assessment.
In a new “Introduction”, Lencioni states that the book is just a reminder of simple concepts that we already know and have possibly known for a long time. He wrote it for real people in imperfect organizations who are hungry to be better leaders and managers.
Lencioni tells us that being the chief executive of an organization is one of the most difficult challenges a person can face in a career. But it is not a complicated one. All chief executives who fail—and most of them do at one time or another—make the same basic mistakes; they succumb to one (or more) of the five temptations.
Andrew O’Brien has been the CEO of Trinity Systems for a year. Tomorrow will be the first board meeting in which he will be accountable for the results of an entire fiscal year. And the results are certainly not positive.
Andrew works late, and since the bridge he needs to take back home closes at midnight, he is forced to take mass transit for the first time in a long time. On the train he meets Charlie, an old man who is the janitor on the train. Charlie senses that something is wrong with Andrew, and asks him what is bothering him. That leads Charlie to begin teaching Andrew about the five temptations, which briefly are:
• Temptation 1: Choosing status over results.
• Temptation 2: Choosing popularity over accountability.
• Temptation 3: Choosing certainty over clarity.
• Temptation 4: Choosing harmony over conflict.
• Temptation 5: Choosing invulnerability over trust.
Charlie tells about lessons that he learned from his father, who was the CEO of the railroad. Later, they meet The Tall Man, The Stylish Man and The Bald Man. But did Andrew really meet these four men on the train late at night, or was it all a dream.
The book then takes us to the Board Meeting that Andrew had been dreading the next day, and later updates the story three years later.
In the “Afterword”, Lencioni tells us that leaders fail because they are unwilling to put their temptations on the table for others to see. He tells us that it is only by bringing their temptations into the open that leaders can enlist the support of subordinates who are in a unique position to help. The key is to embrace the self-examination that reveals the temptations and to keep them in the open where they can be addressed.
In discussing the model, Lencioni offers “simple advice” for CEOs for each of the five temptations. The book concludes with a self-assessment that leaders can take to see where they stand with each of the five temptations.
Like all of Lencioni’s “Leadership Fables”, the fictional story is easy to follow, illustrating the points that he summarizes at the end of the book. Highly recommended for all leaders.
Profile Image for Tõnu Vahtra.
569 reviews87 followers
July 31, 2017
While having read quite a few books by Lencioni already („Five Dysfunctions of a Team“; „Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team“; „The Advantage“; „The Truth about Employee Engagement), this book starts to repeat the core concepts a bit. But as it precedes the other books then the angle of the presented information is different and I could still find good insights and new perspectives from it. I could even understood better how the author developed the ideas that he later presented in 5 dysfunctions and The Advantage. It is indeed not a long book, doesn’t take more than 2-3 hours to complete even if you put some thought into it while reading.
„The key to success, then, is not to avoid the susceptibility to the five temptations. While that would be desirable, it is an impossibility. The key is to embrace the self-examination that reveals the temptations and to keep them in the open where they can be addressed.“
„Accountability is the most overused buzzword in business today.“

The 5 temptations:
1. CHOOSE RESULTS OVER STATUS. Make results the most important measure of personal success, or step down from the job. The Future of the company you lead is too important for customers, employees, and stockholders to hold it hostage to your ego.
2. CHOOSE ACCOUNTABILITY OVER POPULARITY. Work for the long-term respect of your direct reports, not for their affection. Don’t view them as a support group, but as key employees who must deliver on their commitments if the company is to produce predictable results. And remember, your people aren’t going to like you anyway if they ultimately fail.
3. CHOOSE CLARITY OVER CERTAINTY. Make clarity more important than accuracy. Remember that your people will learn more if you take decisive action than if you always wait for more information. And if the decisions you make in the spirit of creating clarity turn out to be wrong then more information becomes available, change plans and explain why. It is your job to risk being wrong. The only real cost to you of being wrong is loss of pride. The cost to your company of not taking the risk of being wrong is paralysis.
4. CHOOSE CONFLICT OVER HARMONY. Tolerate discord. Encourage your direct reports to air their ideological differences, and with passion. Tumultuous meetings are often signs of progress. Tame ones are often signs of leaving important issues off the table. Guard agains personal attacks, but not to the point of stifling important interchange of ideas.
5. CHOOSE TRUST OVER INVULNERABILITY. Actively encourage your people to challenge your ideas. Trust them with your reputation and your ego. As a CEO, this is the greatest level of trust that you can give. They will return it with respect and honesty, and with a desire to be vulnerable among their peers.
Profile Image for Parit Boonluean.
81 reviews22 followers
March 6, 2019
“วันไหนคือวันที่คุณมีความสุขที่สุดในการทำงาน?”
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วันที่เงินเดือนออกวันแรก?
วันที่ได้รับคำชมจากหัวหน้า?
วันที่ได้เลื่อนตำแหน่ง?
วันที่เงินเดือนขึ้นหกหลัก?
หรือวันที่ได้เป็น CEO?
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หากคำตอบของคุณอยู่กลุ่มด้านบน
"ขอแสดงความเสียใจด้วยครับ คุณตกหลุมพรางหมายเลข 1 แล้วแหละ”

หนังสือ 5 หลุมพรางของ CEO (The five temptations of a CEO : a leadership fable) เขียนโดย Patrick Lencioni เป็นเรื่องราวเกี่ยวกับ Andrew CEO หน้าใหม่ที่กำลังจะทำงานครบ 1 ปีและในวันพรุ่งนี้เขาจะมีประชุมคณะกรรมการครั้งแรกและต้องรายงานถึงผลประกอบการที่ “ไม่น่าประทับใจเสียเลย”
เรื่องราวมาเกิดขึ้นเมื่อเขาได้พบ Charlie ชายสูงวัยในรถไฟใต้ดินและได้พูดคุยกัน Andrew ได้เล่าถึงเรื่องบริษัทที่กำลังเผชิญ จน Charlie เป็นห่วงว่าเขาจะตกหลุมพรางเข้าแล้ว Andrew เริ่มสนใจว่าหลุมพรางที่ว่าคืออะไรและนั่นก็เป็นจุดเริ่มต้นของหนังสือเล่มนี้

ผมได้สรุปคร่าวๆว่าทั้ง 5 ข้อมีอะไรบ้าง

หลุมพรางหมายเลข 1 การให้ความสำคัญกับสถานภาพมากกว่าผลประกอบการ:
CEO ไม่ควรคิดถึงตำแหน่งของตัวเองมากไปกว่าผลประกอบการ การที่คิด CEO คิดว่าวันที่ดีที่สุดคือวันที่ได้รับตำแหน่งอย่างที่ Andrew คิดถือว่าผิดมากจนไม่ได้ทุ่มเทกับการทำงานมากที่ควร

หลุมพรางหมายเลข 2 การให้ความสำคัญกับความความเป็นที่ชื่นชอบกับความรับผิดชอบ:
CEO ไม่กล้าคุมลูกน้องให้ทำงานตามความรับผิดชอบเพราะกลัวลูกน้องจะเกลียดที่คอยจี้หรือเข้มงวด แต่จริงๆแล้วถ้าไม่ควบคุมจะส่งผลเสียในระยะยาวกับบริษัทรวมถึงตัวลูกน้องเอง อย่างที่ Andrew ทำคือการไม่ตักเตือน ว่ากล่าวให้ลูกน้องพัฒนาตรงจุดไหนเพราะกลัวว่าไปจี้มากๆจะทำให้ลูกน้องเกลียดเขา สุดท้ายเมื่อลูกน้องไม่ได้อย่างที่ต้องการก็ไม่มีทางเลือกอื่นนอกจากไล่ออก ซึ่งถ้า Andrew กล้าที่จะเข้าไปตักเตือนว่าลูกน้องต้องปรับเปลี่ยนตรงไหน แม้จะเป็น Feedback ที่ตรงไปตรงมามากจนลูกน้องไม่ชอบ แต่สุดท้ายในระยะยาวมันจะดีกับทั้งตัวลูกน้องและบริษัท

หลุมพรางหมายเลข 3 การให้ความสำคัญกับความถูกต้องมากกว่าความชัดเจน:
CEO ต้องการข้อมูลที่ถูกต้องและครบถ้วนก่อนการตัดสินใจเพราะกลัวการทำผิดพลาดเสียจนไม่กล้าตัดสินใจ ส่งผลต่อให้ไม่มีความชัดเจนในกลยุทธ์และการมอบหมายงาน ดูเหมือนจะเป็นไปไม่ได้เลยในโลกธุรกิจที่จะ��ด้ข้อมูลที่แน่นอนและสมบูรณ์ ดังนั้น CEO จึงต้องตัดสินใจภายใต้ constraints ที่มีอยู่และมอบหมายผู้ใต้บังคับบัญชาให้ชัดเจนและเฉียบขาด แม้ว่าสุดท้ายผลลัพธ์อาจจะไม่ได้เป็นอย่างที่คิดและ CEO อาจจะเสียหน้า แต่ถ้าไม่ยอมเสี่ยงทำอะไร สุดท้ายบริษัทก็จะเป็นอัมพาตและล้มเหลว

หลุมพรางหมายเลข 4 การให้ความสำคัญกับความราบรื่นมากกว่าความขัดแย้ง:
CEO เห็นว่าการตัดสินใจที่ดีจะมีราบรื่น ซึ่งนั่นมันผิดเพราะ ถ้าไม่มีความขัดแย้งคุณจะไม่ได้มุมมองใหม่ๆที่อาจมองข้าม ไม่ได้กระตุ้นให้พนักงานคิด สุดท้ายก็จะมีข้อมูลน้อยมากในการตัดสินใจ จึงไม่ควรปิดกั้นความเห็นกับทุกๆประเด็น

หลุมพรางหมายเลข 5 การให้ความสำคัญกับการไม่ถูกโจมตีมากกว่าความศรัทธา:
CEO ที่ดีจะต้องยอมรับจุดอ่อนของตัวเอง อดทนอดกลั้นต่อการถูกวิพากย์วิจารณ์ ลดอัตตาตัวเอง กระตุ้นให้พนักงานเห็นต่างจาก CEO สิ่งที่ได้รับตอบกลับมาจะเป็นความศรัทธา ความจริงใจจากลูกน้อง

โดยสรุปแล้ว 5 หลุมพรางของ CEO เป็นหนังสือที่อ่านง่ายด้วยความยาวเพียง 138 หน้าและสนุกมากด้วยการดำเนินเรื่องแบบนิยาย อีกทั้งข้อคิดที่ได้จากหนังสือเล่มนี้ก็นำไปใช้ได้จริง ไม่ใช่แค่เพียง CEO เท่านั้น ยังรวมถึงตำแหน่งอื่นๆก็สามารถนำไปประยุกต์ใช้ได้เช่นกัน

ขอบคุณที่อ่านจนจบครับ :)
#5หลุมพรางของCEO #FiveTemptationsOfACEO
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Scott.
262 reviews12 followers
July 5, 2019
The title of this book limits you realising the benefit to every leadership role.

Once again Patrick Lencioni delivers a brilliant book about leadership. The brilliance of Patrick is not just in the way he delivers his great books as a fable; but the way he is willing to use words that at first glance appear challenging and even somewhat controversial.

In this great book Patrick explores the 5 areas, or temptations, that impact every role who is a leader. Essentially covering,
- "status over results"
- "popularity over accountability"
- "certainty over clarity"
- "harmony over conflict"
- "invulnerability over trust"

This resonates with me significantly. For quite some time I have used the following "statements" to push me to grow as a leader, which little did I know relate to these 5 temptations. Those that know me will recognise some or all of these statements.

"Be good rather than look good" = "Status over results"
"Not about being liked, but being respected" & "take ownership" = "popularity over accountability"
"Be inquisitive, listen to all views" = "certainty over clarity"
"Respectful challenge, ask questions" = "harmony over conflict"
"Be vulnerable, call out your own mistakes" = "invulnerability over trust"

Patrick's organisation, The Table Group provides a great summary of this short but brilliant leadership book (https://www.tablegroup.com/imo/media/...).
April 12, 2020
In summary: The 3rd part, which is the shortest part of the book, is the one that really gives value to the book and provides a summary of the book's presentation, as well as self-diagnosis and reflection tools.

For the rest of the book ... it is short, less than 150 pages, but it reminds me a lot of the product/service offers that many managers receive: pages and pages explaining the benefits of the product/service and only on the last pages is it what is important for decision making; the author of the book follows the same pattern, I assume it must be due to the strong influence of the "case method" that many managers have received in our training/education that continues to be influential especially in publications such as Harvard Business Review and the like.

Personally, I find the history and language quite corny and although it is useful for the author to try to explain the idea, I do not find it literary interesting or inspiring ... at no time If found a "Eureka" moment while reading the text

Finally, I would recommend reading the book in this order: 3rd Part and only if the concepts are not fully understood go to each chapter associated with each temptation to visualize the application of the concept.
Profile Image for Jason Carter.
296 reviews10 followers
August 15, 2018
This is one of Lencioni's earlier books, though one to which I came to late. It follows the pattern of each of the rest of his books, in that his key points are presented in the form of a business fable, with the fable explained by a model in the latter portion of the book.

The fable portion, especially, in this book is kinda cheesy. And because I've read several of his later books, there were few surprises in his main message. That message is that CEOs fail because they are susceptible to five specific temptations, and that if they avoid those temptations in favor of the preferable behavior, they are much more likely to succeed. Thus, they should choose:

1) Trust over invulnerability
2) conflict over harmony
3) clarity over certainty
4) accountability over popularity
5) results over status

Couldn't agree with him more. Easy read with a good message.
Profile Image for Megan.
147 reviews
April 1, 2022
Great book of leadership/accountability advice, told in the format of a fable. While the title is focused on CEOs, this is really a book on authentic, effective leadership that is relevant for CEOs, middle-managers, front-line managers, people who influence without managing, parents - just about anyone who shows up as a leader.

I won't share the 5 temptations as lots of other reviewers have done so. And even once you've seen the 5, it's still worth the time to read the book. The scenarios and details covered add much to think about.

The book is short, and as it's a fable, lends itself nicely to the audiobook format. Not usually my cup of tea but this time it hit the spot at just 1 hour and 30 mins.

Definitely recommend for anyone considering a leadership role, struggling in a leadership role, or wanting to up their leadership game.
Profile Image for L O'Cwent.
27 reviews
June 26, 2017
This is a quick read and a handy book for any CEO or budding CEO, manager, supervisor, etc. It cuts to the chase using a fable about a CEO, the read is a day, maybe less, quicker readers might find it is a lunch hour book.

And while it is short, it is definitely a book for keeping your head straight and focused where it comes to mentoring your directs.

I wrote down my notes in a management book I am creating for myself when on the job - it amounts to little things that matter in terms of professional excellence. I have added The Five Temptations of a CEO advice to a single page, mind-mapped for quick reading so I don't have to buy the book.

Hopefully my next CEO will have read it.
9 reviews
September 1, 2020
As management books go, it makes a pleasant change to experience leadership coaching via Lencioni's fable story-telling.

Short and sweet, this book nails it's message - that most CEO's, will be tempted by at least 1 of 5 typical behavioural flaws that, if left unchecked, can eventually contribute to the downfall of a company.

My sole criticism is more a cultural one than anything else - of the CEO's that our protagonist meets on his journey home, all are male. I recognise that one of the members of the board in the final chapter is a woman, and also that this ratio is likely reflective of both the state of exec teams in 2009 and now in 2020, but if we're supposed to call everyday inequality out wherever we see it, take this as me doing my bit.
Profile Image for Efrem.
68 reviews2 followers
May 29, 2021
The Five Temptations of a CEO is an excellent book for helping those in chief leadership positions in any organization or any part of any organization to understand those forces that can hinder them from maximizing their success. Patrick Lencioni details five issues that--if left unaddressed--will undermind a leader's efforts and render his organization much less effective than it could be. Lencioni's storytelling manner is inviting in conveying his very practical yet powerful points. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in a top leadership position--or who aspires to have such a position.
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