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Book Study > The Advantage > Flashcards

The Advantage Flashcards

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1
Q

Why does Lencioni argue that smart organizations aren’t always healthy?

A

Because intelligence without health leads to silos, politics, and confusion.

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2
Q

What are the two essential qualities Lencioni says a successful organization must have?

A

Being smart and being healthy.

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3
Q

What are the three biases that prevent leaders from focusing on organizational health?

A

Sophistication bias, adrenaline bias, quantification bias.

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4
Q

According to Lencioni, a healthy organization can overcome a lack of ______, but a smart organization cannot overcome a lack of ______.

A

Smartness; health.

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5
Q

What are the three key features of a healthy organization?

A

Minimal politics and confusion, high morale and productivity, low turnover among good employees.

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6
Q

What does Lencioni mean when he says organizational health is a “force multiplier”?

A

It enhances the effectiveness of all other smart strategies and decisions.

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7
Q

What is the first discipline of a healthy organization?

A

Build a cohesive leadership team.

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8
Q

What distinguishes a cohesive leadership team from an unhealthy one?

A

A cohesive team trusts each other, engages in open dialogue, prioritizes shared goals, and holds one another accountable.

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9
Q

What is the ideal size of a leadership team?

A

Five to nine members—large enough for diversity, small enough for effective communication.

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10
Q

What happens when a leadership team becomes too large?

A

Members engage less, default to departmental interests, and avoid meaningful dialogue.

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11
Q

Why can merging two leadership teams into one be a mistake?

A

It can create disengagement, unclear roles, and a lack of true accountability.

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12
Q

What subtle signal undermines a commitment to collective goals in a team?

A

Celebrating individual accomplishments over team success.

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13
Q

What are two implicit responsibilities of being on a leadership team?

A

Supporting peers emotionally across departments and helping solve organization-wide problems.

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14
Q

What is one sign your leadership team may lack cohesion?

A

Avoiding difficult conversations or not calling out off-base behaviors.

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15
Q

What is the purpose of the “personal histories” exercise?

A

To build empathy and connection by sharing life experiences and challenges.

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16
Q

How can personality profiling tools help a leadership team?

A

They help members understand each other’s work styles and anticipate personality-based conflict.

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17
Q

Why should leaders share negative survey data with their teams?

A

To model vulnerability, show accountability, and build trust.

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18
Q

What bias do we often have in interpreting others’ vs. our own actions?

A

We blame others’ character and our own circumstances.

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19
Q

What is the ideal spot on the conflict spectrum for a healthy team?

A

Just to the left of destructive conflict—open and honest, but respectful.

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20
Q

What often happens after destructive conflict?

A

Teams retreat to artificial peace and avoid necessary conflict.

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21
Q

Why should teams pause and acknowledge when conflict arises?

A

To normalize it and encourage constructive resolution.

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22
Q

What assumption should you make when someone is silent in a meeting?

A

Assume they are in disagreement and invite them to speak.

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23
Q

What does Lencioni mean by “weigh in to buy in”?

A

People are more likely to commit to a decision if they’ve had the chance to share their views.

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24
Q

True or False: Teams should wait for full consensus before deciding.

A

False. The leader should decide after input, even without full agreement.

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25
What is 'disagree and commit'?
Committing to a decision fully even if you disagreed during the discussion.
26
What should leaders do at the end of each meeting to ensure commitment?
Review decisions aloud and confirm alignment from all team members.
27
What is the best form of accountability?
Peer-to-peer accountability.
28
Why is it important for leaders to model public accountability?
It sets expectations, reinforces norms, and boosts team confidence.
29
What happens when leaders protect high performers from accountability?
It erodes trust and encourages tolerance of misaligned behavior.
30
True or False: All accountability should happen privately.
False. Public accountability reinforces team standards and learning.
31
What gives employees confidence that issues are being addressed?
When leaders hold others accountable consistently and visibly.
32
What does Lencioni mean by "only one score" for the team?
The entire organization either wins or loses together. Department wins are irrelevant without overall success.
33
What’s the difference between 'the team I’m on' and 'the team I lead'?
Leaders must prioritize the leadership team’s goals over those of their departments.
34
True or False: A team can be great without achieving results.
False. A great team must deliver results.
35
How can you reinforce collective results?
Celebrate organization-wide accomplishments instead of department-specific wins.
36
What behavior undermines a focus on results?
Lobbying for department needs or pushing individual agendas.
37
What does Lencioni say about “agreeing to disagree”?
It creates confusion and division—leaders must align, not just tolerate differences.
38
What happens when leadership sends mixed messages?
Staff receive conflicting direction and the organization becomes fragmented.
39
Why is alignment more important than agreement?
It ensures clear and unified communication, even if total agreement isn’t present.
40
What metaphor does Lencioni use for small misalignments?
Cracks at the top become chasms below.
41
What are Lencioni’s Six Critical Questions?
Why do we exist? How do we behave? What do we do? How will we succeed? What’s most important right now? Who must do what?
42
Why does Lencioni reference Dunder Mifflin’s slogan?
To illustrate how mission statements can become superficial and meaningless.
43
Why is perfection paralysis dangerous when defining purpose?
It delays clarity and creates frustration or confusion.
44
What depth should a mission statement have?
It should define the organization’s deeper reason for existing.
45
True or False: All missions should center on altruism.
False. What matters is honesty and alignment—not sounding noble.
46
What is a core value?
A deeply held belief already demonstrated by current team behavior.
47
What is an aspirational value?
A trait the organization doesn’t currently embody but hopes to develop.
48
What is a permission-to-play value?
A baseline behavior (e.g., integrity) expected in any organization, not a unique differentiator.
49
Why avoid having too many values?
Too many values dilute clarity and focus.
50
True or False: All stated values should be clearly evident in staff behavior.
False. Aspirational values may not yet be fully present.
51
What does Lencioni recommend when answering “What do we do?”
Use a simple, jargon-free, factual description of your core service.
52
What is a strategic anchor?
A principle that guides decision-making and helps maintain consistency.
53
What process helps identify strategic anchors?
Brainstorming success factors, grouping them by theme, and narrowing to three.
54
True or False: Strategy should include all possible priorities.
False. Strategy should focus on a few critical anchors.
55
How do strategic anchors influence decisions?
They help filter decisions around hiring, spending, priorities, and actions.
56
What is a thematic goal?
A single, short-term qualitative priority that unifies the team for 3–12 months.
57
Why should you avoid focusing on department goals during a thematic goal period?
It prevents unified effort and fragments team focus.
58
What are supporting objectives?
Tactical actions departments take to achieve the thematic goal.
59
How do supporting objectives differ from standard operating objectives?
Supporting objectives are short-term and thematic; standard ones maintain day-to-day operations.
60
True or False: A thematic goal should last multiple years.
False. It should last 3–12 months.
61
Why is clarity around roles important?
To prevent confusion, duplication, and gaps in responsibility.
62
What confusion happened with the CEO who used to be a product manager?
People didn’t know if his input was informal advice or a binding executive decision.
63
True or False: Job titles alone ensure clarity.
False. Clarity requires role definitions, decision authority, and collaboration expectations.
64
How can you ensure clarity around roles throughout the year?
Regularly review role definitions and adjust based on current needs.
65
What is a playbook according to Lencioni?
A simple document summarizing the leadership team’s answers to the Six Questions.
66
How long should a playbook be?
One to two pages; three max if necessary.
67
True or False: A playbook should be full of explanations and detail.
False. It should be concise and easy to reference.
68
Why must the playbook be referenced frequently?
To reinforce alignment and prevent organizational drift.
69
How many times should a leader repeat key messages?
At least seven times.
70
Why do leaders avoid repeating messages?
They fear sounding patronizing or get bored of repetition.
71
True or False: Employees retain a message the first time it’s clearly explained.
False. Retention requires repetition and reinforcement.
72
How does repetition affect employee confidence?
It signals commitment and stability, which builds trust.
73
What causes 'change fatigue' in organizations?
Frequent shifts in priorities and inconsistent messaging.
74
What is cascading communication?
When leaders share decisions from leadership meetings directly with their teams in person.
75
Why is cascading communication important?
It reinforces unity, allows clarification, and avoids misinterpretation.
76
True or False: Emails are the best way to create alignment.
False. Direct conversations are more effective.
77
What’s the risk of not cascading decisions properly?
It creates the perception of leadership disunity or misalignment.
78
What is the role of upward communication?
To offer input and build trust—but not to shift decision-making power.
79
Why doesn’t upward communication equal democracy?
Because leaders still must make final decisions—not vote by consensus.
80
True or False: Frequent surveys mean your organization is healthy.
False. The quality and purpose of communication matter more.
81
What are the four communication reinforcement checklist items?
(1) Staff know the Six Questions. (2) Leaders reinforce them. (3) Meetings end with cascading decisions. (4) Employees can articulate goals and values.
82
What does Lencioni mean by “reinforcing clarity through human systems”?
Aligning hiring, onboarding, evaluation, and recognition systems with the Six Questions.
83
Why is bureaucracy a danger in human systems?
It creates complexity that distracts from what matters most.
84
What’s better than copying another organization’s HR systems?
Creating simple systems that align with your own mission and culture.
85
True or False: A 7-page evaluation is better than a one-pager.
False. Simplicity increases focus and use.
86
What matters most in hiring?
Alignment with values—more than technical skill.
87
What hiring bias does Lencioni warn about?
Focusing on the few good hires and ignoring poor ones.
88
Why must all interviewers evaluate the same traits?
To ensure consistency and cultural alignment.
89
True or False: It’s fine to hire a poor culture fit if talent is scarce.
False. Misaligned hires usually create more problems long-term.
90
What’s one reason cultural fit is more sustainable than technical skill?
Skills can be taught; values are harder to change.
91
What’s the most important purpose of orientation?
To connect new hires to organizational values and expectations.
92
What does Lencioni say about performance evaluations?
They should be collegial, growth-oriented, and reflect alignment with values.
93
Why is recognition often more powerful than compensation?
It connects people to purpose and builds culture at no cost.
94
When should a technically skilled person be let go?
When they consistently violate cultural expectations.
95
What should you do with someone who has strong values but low performance?
Coach and support them—they often grow into great team members.
96
What is the purpose of a daily check-in meeting?
To align priorities, reduce email, and maintain connection.
97
How should agendas be created for weekly tactical meetings?
In the first 10 minutes using green/yellow/red status updates.
98
What is the main purpose of monthly strategic meetings?
To dive deep into major issues or long-term planning.
99
Why use an external facilitator in quarterly off-sites?
So the leader can participate fully without having to run the meeting.
100
True or False: Meetings are inherently a waste of time.
False. When structured well, they are the core of leadership work.
101
What is a common leadership time-use mistake?
Spending too much time on operations and not enough on strategy.
102
What are Lencioni’s four meeting health practices?
Separate tactical and strategic meetings, meet off-site, revisit Six Questions, and clarify meeting expectations.
103
True or False: Strategic work should be done only when time allows.
False. It should be prioritized as core leadership work.
104
Why does Lencioni say organizational health is worth the effort?
It builds momentum, improves communication, and produces lasting results.
105
What’s one sign of an aligned organization?
Everyone understands how their work supports the key goal.
106
Why is clarity important for retention?
People stay when they believe in the mission and know what's expected.
107
What mindset shift must principals make to be strategic?
Shift from task manager to driver of clarity, culture, and vision.
108
What’s the difference between technical skill and cultural fit?
Skill can be taught; cultural fit must be present from the start.
109
What is the cost of poor onboarding?
New hires don’t connect to culture, reducing alignment and retention.
110
How do values help resolve conflict?
They offer a shared standard to evaluate behaviors and decisions.
111
What’s the danger of overvaluing intelligence in hiring?
You risk hiring toxic individuals who hurt culture and trust.
112
What’s the risk of relying only on written communication?
It lacks nuance and prevents clarification.
113
Why include behavior-based feedback in evaluations?
It helps staff understand how actions align (or don’t) with values.
114
What’s the leadership team’s role in modeling culture?
Live the values consistently—it sets the tone for everyone else.
115
What behaviors undermine accountability?
Avoidance, blaming others, and silence around broken expectations.
116
How should recognition be delivered?
Publicly, specifically, and linked to values.
117
What’s the value of revisiting “Who must do what?”
It keeps responsibilities clear and current.
118
What is the leader’s role in recognition?
To make sure it’s regular, value-based, and distributed equitably.
119
Why is repetition so important for alignment?
Because people need to hear messages multiple times to absorb them.

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