The Motive is highly rated by readers for its concise yet impactful message about leadership motives. Many praise Lencioni's storytelling approach and practical insights. The book contrasts reward-centered and responsibility-centered leadership, emphasizing the importance of embracing difficult tasks and serving others. While some find the fable format cheesy, most appreciate the valuable lessons. Readers highlight the book's applicability to various leadership roles and its potential to inspire positive change in management practices.
Leadership is a privilege, not a reward
Two motives drive leadership: serving others or seeking personal gain
Reward-centered leaders avoid crucial responsibilities
Developing the leadership team is a critical CEO responsibility
Effective management requires active engagement, not hands-off trust
Difficult conversations are essential for organizational health
Meetings are the arena where leadership is most visible
Responsibility-centered leaders embrace discomfort for growth
Changing leadership motives can transform organizational success
"Leadership is a privilege," he announced. "It shouldn't be seen as something sacrificial. It's a joy."
Reframing leadership mindset. This perspective, shared by exceptional leaders like Alan Mulally, fundamentally shifts how one approaches leadership. Instead of viewing it as a burden or a reward for past efforts, it becomes an opportunity to make a positive impact. This mindset fosters a sense of gratitude and purpose, driving leaders to embrace their responsibilities fully.
Contrasting common views. Unfortunately, many leaders today see their role as a right or reward, leading to a self-centered approach. This attitude can result in neglecting important duties and prioritizing personal comfort over organizational needs. Recognizing leadership as a privilege helps align a leader's actions with the best interests of their team and organization.
At the most fundamental level, there are only two motives that drive people to become a leader.
Serving others. The first motive is a genuine desire to serve others and contribute to something greater than oneself. Leaders with this motivation:
Prioritize the needs of their team and organization
Willingly embrace sacrifices and challenges
Focus on long-term success and growth
Seeking personal gain. The second motive is centered on personal rewards such as status, power, and financial benefits. Leaders driven by this motivation:
Tend to avoid uncomfortable or tedious tasks
Prioritize activities that bring personal recognition or enjoyment
May neglect crucial responsibilities that don't align with their interests
Understanding these motivations is crucial for both aspiring and current leaders to evaluate their approach and its impact on their organization.
When leaders are motivated by personal reward, they will avoid the unpleasant situations and activities that leadership requires.
Neglecting essential duties. Reward-centered leaders often sidestep crucial responsibilities that don't align with their personal interests or comfort. This avoidance can lead to:
Lack of direction and guidance for team members
Unresolved conflicts and miscommunications
Missed opportunities for organizational growth and improvement
Long-term consequences. While avoiding uncomfortable tasks may seem beneficial in the short term, it ultimately harms both the leader and the organization. Team members may lose trust and respect for a leader who consistently prioritizes personal comfort over organizational needs. This can result in decreased morale, productivity, and overall performance.
If people on a leadership team don't believe that the leader sees team development as one of his or her most critical roles, they're not going to take it seriously, and it's not going to be effective.
Personal involvement required. CEOs must actively participate in team development, rather than delegating it to HR or other departments. This involvement:
Demonstrates the importance of teamwork to the entire organization
Ensures alignment of team goals with overall organizational objectives
Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration
Practical approach to team building. Effective team development goes beyond superficial activities:
Focus on improving interpersonal dynamics and communication
Address conflicts and misalignments promptly
Engage in challenging conversations to drive personal and collective growth
Regularly assess and refine team processes and performance
Managing someone is not a punitive activity, nor a sign of distrust. And it doesn't change based on a person's seniority or tenure.
Redefining management. Many leaders mistakenly equate management with micromanagement or distrust. In reality, effective management involves:
Providing clear direction and alignment with organizational goals
Regular check-ins to identify and address potential obstacles
Coaching and supporting team members' growth and development
Cascading responsibility. Leaders must not only manage their direct reports but also ensure that those executives are effectively managing their own teams. This creates a culture of accountability and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
One of the main responsibilities of a leader is to confront difficult, awkward issues quickly and with clarity, charity, and resolve.
Overcoming discomfort. Many leaders avoid difficult conversations due to personal discomfort or fear of conflict. However, addressing issues promptly is crucial for:
Maintaining a healthy organizational culture
Preventing small problems from escalating into major issues
Fostering trust and respect among team members
Joyful accountability. Leaders like Alan Mulally demonstrate that difficult conversations can be approached positively:
Frame feedback as an opportunity for growth and improvement
Maintain a cheerful and supportive attitude while addressing issues
Provide clear consequences for unchanged behavior, allowing individuals to make informed choices
What is the best place to observe a leader? That's right—a meeting.
Reframing meeting importance. Many leaders view meetings as a necessary evil, but they are actually the primary arena for leadership:
Critical decisions are made during meetings
Team dynamics and communication patterns are most visible
Leaders can demonstrate their ability to facilitate, guide, and inspire
Cascading impact. The quality of executive-level meetings sets the standard for the entire organization:
Effective meetings at the top inspire better meetings throughout the company
Poor meeting habits can lead to widespread inefficiency and disengagement
Leaders who prioritize meeting effectiveness signal its importance to all employees
There is one thing in your book The Advantage that I disagree with, Pat. It's the part where you say that leadership requires suffering.
Changing perspective on leadership challenges. While Alan Mulally disagreed with the notion of leadership requiring suffering, his approach demonstrates the importance of embracing challenges:
View difficult tasks as opportunities for growth and impact
Recognize that addressing uncomfortable situations leads to long-term benefits
Cultivate a mindset that finds joy in overcoming obstacles and serving others
Personal growth through responsibility. By accepting and even seeking out challenging aspects of leadership, leaders can:
Develop greater resilience and problem-solving skills
Build stronger relationships with team members through shared experiences
Create a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability
You can either rethink your attitude about team-building and embrace it as the practical, indispensable discipline that it is, or you can accept that the organization you lead will never come close to reaching its full potential and that your team members will suffer unnecessarily.
Recognizing the need for change. Leaders must honestly assess their motivations and behaviors to identify areas for improvement. This self-reflection can lead to:
Greater awareness of how personal motives impact organizational outcomes
Increased willingness to embrace uncomfortable but necessary responsibilities
A shift from a reward-centered to a responsibility-centered leadership approach
Organizational transformation. By changing their leadership motives, executives can:
Foster a more engaged and aligned team
Improve decision-making processes and outcomes
Create a culture of accountability and continuous improvement
Ultimately drive better organizational performance and success