The first time I read a Patrick Lencioni book, I was the COO and Managing Director of a global corporate finance company. I hadn’t been there long and was already regretting the move. My first thought after finishing The Five Dysfunctions of a Team was, “How do I leave of copy of this for the team without them knowing who left it?” Sadly, my boss was most likely coming to his own conclusion that hiring a member of the leadership team that thinks differently and speaks her mind, wasn’t really what he wanted after all. Thus, my only option was to “do” the book instead of trying to “preach” the book. It was actually beginning to work quite well, and an endeavor that taught me a ton. Then the financial crisis began and fear took hold of most people in the world of finance, and well, basically all hell broke loose in more ways than I can count.
This time, as I read Lencioni’s latest book, Getting Naked, I had a different reaction. I knew this book would be a fantastic tool, not only to fall back on as a reminder to never give up on what I believe in (which we all need on occasion), but also to give to clients as a way to help them achieve more. It’s possible that I also did a small happy dance for my own little consulting company as I saw many parallels to the way we already do things here at YURU.
Getting Naked presents the business world with a new kind of 21st century risk that can provide the taker with a competitive advantage that will leave heads spinning in disbelief. The ability to harness what Patrick is sharing is what will separate the good, and yes even the great, companies from those that dare to be extraordinary.
Understanding Lencioni’s three fears that hinder client relationships can provide the insight necessary to take such risks. If you can find the courage to be honest, authentic, and buck-naked vulnerable with yourself, your teammates, and your clients, the sky is the limit for anyone or any business. There are plenty of brilliant nuggets of wisdom in Getting Naked no matter if you are a consultant, manage a department, a business student, run a multi-national company, or are part of the small business backbone of our economy. There is something for anyone who has clients, which at the end of the day is pretty much all of us. I have seen first hand, with myself, and my own clients, how these concepts can literally transform people and companies.
The story-telling style of Lencioni’s books, gives the reader that sense of “what happens next” that good fiction employs and shows us how his theories would look in real life as opposed to simply preaching them. That one extra step really allows the information to sink in at a different level. Plus, it’s just more fun to read.
I highly recommend Getting Naked with its high quotient of nuggets of wisdom to words read. In other words, lots of great stuff packed into an easy to read book that will fit into your busy schedule. Plus, it can be a great conversation starter if you simply carry it around for a couple of days.
