I Could Have Been Wrong

As promised, this is the book review of The Five Temptations of a CEO. But it probably won’t be the best or the most straightforward book review since I will give it a vocational spin.

First off, the full title of the book is The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable. The lessons in Patrick Lencioni’s book aren’t just for CEOs, but for any leader (parents, teachers, etc, and even those people that want to make better decisions in life). I’ve heard Lencioni speak in person. He is a Catholic man and was addressing a group of Catholic leaders. If you have read any of his books, then you know that he is a great writer, but he is also a great speaker.

This book is a story, a leadership fable, as Lencioni calls it. It follows Andrew, a CEO, the night before a major board meeting. Things aren’t going well at the company. Andrew wants to get home and finds himself on the train with Charlie. Through their conversation, Charlie teaches Andrew the five temptations that CEOs face.

The Five Temptations

1. Choosing status over results
2. Choosing popularity over accountability
3. Choosing certainty over clarity
4. Choosing harmony over productive conflict
5. Choosing invulnerability over trust

If you have about two hours, you can read the whole book. It’s a quick read. If you have less time, you can do a Google search for "The Five Temptations of a CEO summary" to get an overview of the temptations, but I want to focus on the third temptation - choosing certainty over clarity.

Lencioni says this, “Some executives fear being wrong so much that they wait until they’re absolutely certain about something before they make a decision.” One of the questions that all priests and religious get asked in one form or another is, “How did you know?” How did you know God was calling you to this? How did you know this was for you?

I’ve been asked that since 2009 when I first announced to family and friends that I was entering the Dominicans. And while the answer changes slightly, depending on who is asking, the answer is that in 2009 I wasn’t 100% sure. I had faith in Jesus that this is where he was leading me, I earnestly prayed about this, I trusted in the people around me when I asked their opinion about it, I followed the advice of other priests and religious that I trusted (strengthening my prayer life, spiritual direction, making visits). But ultimately it was a risk, I could have been wrong.

Religious Orders and Dioceses know this. In formation programs, there is a built-in period before a man has to make the lifetime commitment. For us, the Dominicans, it’s five years. Five years of continued discernment within the Order (on the inside). In those first five years, you

• Experience communal and personal prayer
• Participate Daily in the Mass
• Live community life
• Take on different ministries
• Have classes on our history, saints, constitutions, spirituality, and the vows, and after the first year to take formal classes at our theology school
• Attend workshops and conferences relevant to religious life

During these years you experience all aspects of religious life and grow in your ability to balance action and reflection, prayer and service, community and solitude. You should definitely give it at least a year, but you have five years before you profess solemn vows.

Back to the book… Toward the end of the section on the third temptation, the character Charlie asks Andrew, the CEO, if he knows the three most powerful words a CEO could say. Andrew shakes his head and Charlie gives him the answer that he learned from his father.

“‘I-WAS-WRONG.’ But the thing is, he didn’t say those words apologetically. He said them like he was proud of them. He knew that if he couldn’t be comfortable being wrong, he wouldn’t make tough decisions with limited information.”

Taking a risk is what separates the men from the boys. There is always going to be an excuse - I don’t know enough, I’d rather go somewhere where I know for sure what I’ll get, why take a risk with something new instead of going after something easier.

This book is directed at executives, but the temptations outlined in it can be applicable to anyone who works with other people. The short sections of this book flow seamlessly into one another connected by the fable of Andrew and Charlie.

I have to say that I see these temptations active in me and thankfully Lencioni does offer advice on how to overcome them. I won’t go into that here, you’ll have to get the book and read it. Likewise, when it comes to discerning your vocation, you can only go so far when reading blog posts and articles, eventually, you’ll have to take that next step.
 

---

Take the next step in your discernment. Contact Fr. Francis, O.P. for more information or with questions.