| Title | : | The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive: A Leadership Fable |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0787954039 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780787954031 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 184 |
| Publication | : | First published August 24, 2000 |
The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive: A Leadership Fable Reviews
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Yet another seriously useful leadership “fable” by Patric Lencioni.
He refers to these books as fables, but more precisely, they are fictional teaching narratives.
If the idea of a fiction parable makes you uncomfortable, and you would rather just have the straight dope in a brief nonfiction format rather than sit through ‘story time’, than hold that thought.
After all, that thought it’s self is a type of applied fiction. Bring the thought with you as you go ahead and read this book. See if that thought changes after you experience the actual text. Im guessing it will.
These stories are realistic and ridiculously effective applied teaching tools. I’m finding them much more effective than typical ‘straight up’ nonfiction business lit.
At this point I have read a bunch of them, and they are sticking like glue. Largely due to their nonfictional narrative format.
Not only is the embedded advice sound AF. It’s demonstrating the advice in a highly relatable and engaging way. And I simply cannot get enough.
And don’t worry, incase you missed the big bullet points, he recaps them at the end in a traditional nonfiction mode. So, you kind of get the best of both fiction and nonfiction.
And it’s kind of magical.
Anyway:
This book is about what Lencioni terms organizational health and how executives are tasked with it’s stewardship.
Lencioni asserts that executives need to foster organizational health by radical commitment to the following 4 disciplines.
1. Build and maintain a cohesive leadership team that trusts one another, engages in constructive conflict, commits to group decisions and holds one another accountable.
2. Create organizational clarity via clearly and explicitly identifying organizational values mission and purpose.
3. Over-communicate organizational clarity meaning demonstrate, state and restate over and over if necessary.
4. Reinforce organizational clarity via establishing clear systems. structures and principles for decision making, performance evaluation and compensation.
If all of this sounds too basic to be useful. Don’t be too sure. The ideas hear are simple, but achieving these disciplines is hard. And the “fable” makes that crystal clear.
LOVE THESE BOOKS 📚
Five pointed twinklers ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ -
While it has a good message, and it deals with a different component of business than most books, but it was just average and a bit over simplified.
It looks at organisational health and is based on four basic principles. In saying the principles are basic isn't that they would be basic to implement but that the ideas and the concepts are basic to understand and basic to think about.
The first half of the book is a story about two CEOs and the business they run, one using the four principles, the other struggling to understand why the other business is so sucessful. The second half is then the theory and discussion around these principles and how you might go about implementing them, even these were described in a simplistic way.
SBC: Genre not noramlly read -
I’m a sucker for fable style mgmt stories, even when they’re over dramatised. Solid basics presented in a memorable way
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Ниша книг Патрика Ленциони — в том, что сложная история организации команды пишется в виде художественной книги-детектива. Поэтому она читается на одном дыхании, с попутным доступным и легким объяснением сложных концепций.
Я думаю, что впервые в истории моя рецензия будет сложнее и труднее, чем собственно сама книга. Патрик написал про четыре привычки отличного босса так просто и занимательно, что под впечатлением будут все, кто читали и Портера, и Друкера, и любой другой управленческий талмуд.
https://maxlapin.com/2020/09/18/b277/ -
Two things I loved about this book - the focus on organisational health, and more broadly that there’s no substitute for discipline.
Favourite quote: “clarity provides power like nothing else can”.
When people have clarity, in their roles, strategy, mission, objectives, rewards, it’s the ultimate tool in empowerment and productivity.
Some great lessons in leadership told through one consistent narrative, easy to become invested in the characters in the story (who are very relatable in a business setting).
Other key takeouts for me:
- if leadership meetings are boring, you’re not doing them right. Disagreements and debate are part and parcel of a good system, that leads to better outcomes. The challenge is ensuring it’s all directed at the business issues that matter (and not get caught up in politics or personality traits). This can be accomplished by building trust.
- get clear as an organisation and as a leadership team on ‘what’ to communicate, then over communicate it / reinforce in simple, multi-channel ways to hit home and rally the team.
- communication is crucial, but DO NOT fall into the trap of plastering polished ‘slogans’ around, as these can be easily interpreted as temporary/fleeting/superficial. Focus on embedding through consistent reinforcement, cascading and alignment of information.
The four disciplines are simple, but the book brings to life ways to put into practice, and how to know when you have succeeded. -
I like nonfiction, but business books are a mixed bag. You have some that spend way too long saying the same thing in 55 different ways, with outdated examples, or the super-long technically brilliant books that take forever to slog through. But Patrick Lecioni's books are different. Seriously, these are the ONLY business books I've stayed up past my bedtime to continue reading.
This book is another great resource on how creating a healthy culture is essential to any organization. Here's one of my favorite quotes, taken from the very back of the book:
"There is no substitute for discipline. No amount of intellectual prowess or personal charisma can make up for an inability to identify a few simple things and stick to them over time." 💯 -
Admittedly, I probably would not have picked this if left to my own devices; however, I had to read it for work for an upcoming leadership team meeting. It was a quick read that was grounded in a business "fable" to demonstrate the value of organizational health. The four obsessions are not anything earth-shattering but, as depicted in the book, often overlooked or implemented piecemeal. A good reminder of how much of an impact seemingly obvious things like having a coherent leadership team, clarity of focus, communication of that focus, and processes to support the organization can have.
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Super Leadership Fable
Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is one of my favorite books. It sets the bar very high. While not as great, this one is a fantastic book too.
The 4 principles covered in the book are great and the fourth principle around Human Systems is well drafted - this topic is usually not explained in many books. The first principle 'Cohesive Teams' is well conveyed too. Pick this up now! -
No amount of intellectual prowess or personal charisma can make up for an inability to identify a few simple things and stick to them over time.
I'm going through all the Lencioni fables. This specific one I liked slightly more than others. I found the situation with the CEO to be quite realistic and human. -
Lencioni is able to take complicated concepts and break them down simply and digestibly. Most of the book is an easy-to-follow story that shows the concepts in action. Where many business fables struggle, this one succeeds by moving along quickly without getting caught up in the ideas. The book's second part discusses the concepts more tactically and makes for a great reference guide.
It's a quick read and worth it for anyone trying to get alignment in their organization. -
Easy read. Over the top scenario of a small firm’s four pillars, but takes half the book to discuss the four foundations.
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In this astute leadership fable the main protagonist Vince Green, who is the founder and CEO of Greenwich Consulting, struggles to build a healthy organization. Green is faced with backstabbing intrigues that threaten his career and his control over the company. Business school graduates will be reminded of the case studies that put you in the shoes of an executive at a crossroads.
Do not mistake this story for a gripping thriller, but rather it is a fable in which management lessons are told in an extremely memorable way. If you want to freshen up your leadership and managerial knowledge without having to dive into academic papers, then The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive is the right read for you. Patrick Lencioni is a widely recognized consulting pundit who builds his stories around solid theories. He has written ten similar business books. Read them and you are completing an entertaining mini-MBA -
Almost too simple, but that makes it no less impactful.
The four obsessions:
1. Build and Maintain a Cohesive Leadership Team
2. Create Organizational Clarity
3. Over-Communicate Organizational Clarity
4. Reinforce Organizational Clarity through Human Systems
Seem simple enough, but the world over, we simply do not see these handled well. A great discussion piece for exec teams on improvement journeys. -
Every leader should read this book.
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There are so many insights from this book, I will put some of those on here is not a spoiler it's just a quick reminder core...
Discipline one: Build and maintain a cohesive leadership team
Discipline two: Create Organisational Clarity (Identity, values, mission, strategy, Major Goals, Objectives, Roles, and responsibilities)
Discipline three: Over-communicate organizational clarity
Discipline four: Reinforce organizational clarity through human systems.
Be Cohesive.
Be Clear.
Over-communicate.
Reinforce.
Performance Review (90 minutes with every employee):
- What did you accomplish?
- What will you accomplish next?
- How can you improve?
- —————————————————————
- Are you embracing the values?
Great book, everyone should read this. -
I love Lencioni's material. It is simple and true; not easy to implement, but it makes complete sense.
Reading this gave me a better understanding of the content from The Advantage. He "parablizes" the four disciplines that I 1st read about in The Advantage and further expands on them. There are some minor differences, particularly in the six questions in The Advantage:
1. Why do we exist?
2. How do we behave?
3. What do we do?
4. How will we succeed?
5. What is most important, right now?
6. Who must do what?
and those in The Four Obsessions:
1. Why does the organization exist, and what difference does it make in the world?
2. What behavioral values are irreplaceable and fundamental?
3. What business are we in, and against whom do we compete?
4. How does our approach differ from that of our competition?
5. What are our goals this month, this quarter, this year, next year, five years from now?
6. Who has to do what for us to achieve our goals this month, this quarter, this year, next year, five years from now?
The essence of those is more or less the same; the greatest difference is in the timeframes of Qs 5 & 6 - "right now" vs "this month, this quarter, this year, next year, five years from now". Curious to know why this revision was made - to simplify and make easier to remember or that the longer term questions were less essential to Organizational Health.
Overall - great, helpful read. Highly recommended.
Format: Hardcover via Amazon ($14.71)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0787... -
If you are taking any type of Leadership course, then this book is for you. It is a succinct, engaging tale of what are best practices for a healthy organization. The four disciplines as outlined in the book have elements of many leadership theories that have been explored and researched over the years.
Other books by Patrick Lencioni that are great are
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fableand
The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable -
Good, Not Great
One of my favorite leadership books is Patrick Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team because the parable format is highly suitable to demonstrating the concepts that prevent teams from becoming cohesive and the actions to increase cohesiveness really make a business impact. This book is a welcome addition to Lencioni's library on leadership and I took quite a bit away from it. I give it 5 stars only because the parable portion of the book wasn't nearly as compelling as that of the aforementioned TFDOAT. Very quick read and very actionable insights here. Check it out! -
I'm marking this as "read" although I didn't completely finish it. Lencioni begins his management treatises as interesting parables, then ends them with a pedantic recap of what he already vividly described in the story. I put his books down after reading that first half.
Nevertheless, I recommend this for managers who, like me, sometimes find themselves too caught up in the details of day-to-day work to remember to keep their overall mission in mind. And I suspect you could finish it on a single plane ride, even if you felt compelled to read the whole thing. -
Nothing earth-shaking here, but as always, the PL narrative/fable style makes the fundamental principles he teaches spring to life. I am truly inspired after reading this to fight to keep my leadership teams strong and healthy, and to clearly define and act on the core values that gird our health.
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I'm surprised I hadn't read this book yet, though I've loved all of Lencioni's books. I am often amazed at the simplicity of the ideas, but the discipline and courage to do so is really what is lacking.
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A quick read with great timeless principles that aren't always so obvious.
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The whole book should have been a tweet.
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Healthy Organization - Not complex but hard - daily habit of dedication, consistency, transparency...
1. BE COHESIVE: Build and maintain a cohesive leadership team
-- Most elusive & most important – requires TUST and significant dedication by leader + team, small ripples at Sr level are tidal waves for front line folks
-- Tools: Myers Briggs - understand strengths / flaws and be open to discussing them à we’re doing Kolbe & Working Genius
-- Bad signs: If feeling unsafe to share true thoughts/opinion, politicking, harboring resentment after meeting, not consistently attending / engaging in meeting (looking at phone, etc)
-- Good signs: our L10 is never boring! Able to debate issues (not personalities), make decision, commit… move onto the next!
2. BE CLEAR: Create organizational clarity
-- Eliminate confusion w/n org, esp at Sr level
-- Constantly refer back to our identity (VTO, Values, Mission), Strategy, Rocks, AC... when facing tough decisions
-- Fanatical about hiring w/ Core Values
3. OVER-COMMUNICATE: Over-communicate organizational clarity / identity / direction
-- New ee orientation - go over values, mission, direction....
-- In every speech, email, etc. remind folks!
-- If starts to feel like marketing campaign, loses its authenticity / grounded-ness
4. REINFORCE: Reinforce organizational clarity through human systems
-- Culture lives in the way things get done (transparency, feedback, admitting mistakes, interviewing, hiring, perf mgmt, rewarding...)
-- Interview w/ behavioral q's related to core values!
-- Qtrly perf mgmt for each person - KISS - Q: what accomplish, what next, how improve, are you embracing core values? (90min!) -
(The English review is placed beneath Russian one)
Проблема, перед которой стоит автор бизнес-романа, состоит в том, что если добавить излишне много художественной составляющей, то книга не удастся, т.к. читатель просто потеряется в художественном тексте, потеряет суть повествования и того, что собственно хотел сказать автор, т.е. для чего вообще писалась и читалась книга. Если хочется чего-то художественного, всегда можно обратиться к настоящему fiction. Если же добавить излишнего количества не художественного материала, то книга превратиться в non-fiction с откровенно лишним текстом. Что опять же вгонит в тоску читателей, т.к. художественная составляющая станет подобно пятой лапой у собаки. Другими словами, это довольно тяжело написать хороший бизнес-роман, где все её части гармонируют. Предыдущая книга автора – «Пять пороков команды. Притчи о лидерстве» - была если не отличная, то в принципе интересная, с одной главной идеей и более-менее неплохим сюжетом (художественной составляющей). Поэтому я вполне был уверен, что и другая книга автора будет неким подобным материалом (пусть и не бизнес-роман «Цель», другого автора, но и не совсем alas). К сожалению, ожидания не оправдались. Совсем. Я пытался прочитать книгу даже два раза, надеясь, что в первый я был недостаточно сосредоточен на книге. Но даже второй раз не показал, что в книге наличествуют хоть какие-то интересные мысли. Ну, да, что-то там было, но книга сама по себе была настоящей мукой, настолько водянистой, что, уже прочитав четверть, я впал в полусонное состояние, а дойдя до больше чем половины, я понял, что дальше читать смысла уже никакого нет. Может что-то там дальше и будет, но книга определённо не стоит, с моей точки зрения, если большая часть навивает непреодолимую скуку. Мне даже трудно обозначить какие-то важные места в книге, разве что невероятно затянутые и неясные совещания, стратегия найма сотрудников и что-то там ещё. В общем, попытка создать что-то из ничего превратило книгу больше в художественное произведение, нежели в бизнес-роман по менеджменту. Собственно, именно об этом я и написал выше. В книге просто нет чётких и здравых идей, которые можно было бы обыграть в бизнес-романе, а без этого мы получаем очень слабое художественное произведение.
The problem facing the author of a business novel is that if you add too much artistic component, the book will not succeed, because the reader is simply lost in this invented text, lose the essence of the narrative and what the author actually wanted to say, ie, for what the book was written at all. If you want something artistic, you can always turn to the real fiction. If you add an excessive amount of nonfiction material, the book becomes a non-fiction with frankly redundant text. Which, again, will drive the reader's yearning, because the artistic component will be like the fifth paw of a dog. In other words, it's hard enough to write a good business novel, where all its parts harmonize. The author's previous book - "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" - was if not excellent, it was quite interesting, with one main idea and more or less good story (artistic component). That's why I was quite sure that this book of the author would be something like "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team". Unfortunately, the expectations were not met. At all. I tried to read the book even twice, hoping that in the first time I was not sufficiently focused on the book, but even in the second time I could not find anything interesting and memorable in the book, at least some interesting thoughts. Well, yes, there was something there, but reading this book was a real torture, because the book is so watery, so unconcrete, that, after reading a quarter, I fell into a half asleep, and after reaching more than half, I realized that there is no point in reading anymore. Maybe something will happen next, but the book is definitely not worth reading it to the end, if most of it is overwhelming boredom. It is even difficult for me to identify any important places in the book, except for the incredibly long and unclear meetings, the strategy of hiring employees and something else. In general, trying to create something from nothing turned the book into an artwork rather than a business novel on management. Actually, that's what I wrote above. The book simply does not have clear and sensible ideas that could have been played in a business novel, and without it we get a very weak artwork.
