The Five Temptations of a CEO

Product Description

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:

recognize the mistakes that leaders can make
avoid errors before they occur
and much more!

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!

Amazon.com Review

Imagine running into the ultimate management mentor late one night on an otherwise deserted commuter train, and walking away from the strange encounter with an encapsulated guide to success in the corporate world. That’s exactly what screenwriter and business coach Patrick Lencioni has done in
The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable, placing his tale in an easy-reading and thought- provoking kind of self-help novel.
Designed to be read in a single sitting, this book uses the unexpected meeting between troubled high-tech honcho Andrew O’Brien and a mysterious old man named Charlie to explore a series of common traps that can unwittingly ensnare any hard-driven executive. Lencioni hones in on the five “temptations” of the workplace: desires to jealously guard career status, consistently remain popular with subordinates, unfailingly make correct decisions, constantly strive for an atmosphere of total harmony, and always appear invulnerable. A discussion of the story’s events and their real-world implications follows, as Lencioni shifts from screenwriter mode to business coach to help answer some of the questions he raises. –Howard Rothman

From Booklist

San Francisco CEO coach Lencioni has used his consulting experience to weave a novel based on business precepts. Here the five common faults of CEOs are relayed through a thinly disguised fictional scenario: rapid transit janitor Charlie teaches lessons to Trinity Systems leader Andrew. The prose is primarily dialogue–and fairly easy to follow. In fact, the afterwords seem somewhat superfluous, justified by the author in terms of further clarity and readers’ probable need for self-assessment. From valuing ego overachievement to an unwillingness to trust, each of the five faults is applicable to any rising manager, young or old.
Barbara Jacobs

Review

“A must read for all leaders, not just CEOs. Take it from someone whohas been tempted. Better than a personal coach.” (Boyd Clark, president and CEO, The Tom Peters Group)

“Pat Lencioni delivers a provocative message: CEOs mainly havethemselves 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, co-author, Built To Last; professor, Stanford School of Business)

“A truly enjoyable story. I f