I think I've said several times on this blog that Patrick Lencioni is my favorite business author. I like the way he delivers his material in the form of a story, complete with characters and drama and plot (but if you don't like that, don't worry, because he delivers the model at the end of the book too). The first book I read of his was the Five Dysfunctions a Team, and the first two dysfunctions are lack of trust and avoidance of conflict, so you can see why I like him. But he's also written some good books about clear strategy, getting rid of silos, and running better staff meetings.

His most recent book is Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding the Three Fears that Sabotage Client Loyalty. Most have books have been aimed at CEOs and senior managers in organizations, as these are the people to whom Lencioni himself consults. This one, however, is more aimed at consultants, or maybe service providers or "anyone whose success is tied to building loyal and sticky relationships with the people they serve."

The essence of the model in this book is about being vulnerable. Lencioni argues that as service providers, we will get better results if we abandon some basic fears, namely being afraid of losing the cient, being afraid to be embarrassed, and being afraid to feel inferior. These fears seem logical, of course (who would WANT to be embarrassed?), but in the end it prompts behavior that doesn't serve the client, and if you can push through these (mainly ego-based) fears, you can do things that will really impress the clients.

Like if you're really not afraid to lose the business, then you'd tell the client the truth they needed to hear, wouldn't you? And you'd take a short-term cut in fees to preserve long term relationships. And when a sticky and tough situation crops up, you'd go right into the heart of it. But if you're worried about losing the client, you'll end up working around these things.

Our obsession with being embarrassed also generates behavior that doesn't work for us. We withhold suggestions, for fear of them being wrong, which means ideas aren't flowing and learning isn't happening. Mistakes are rarely acknowledged, which makes people very afraid of them and can lead to less risk taking. And because we don't want to feel inferior, we essentially miss opportunities to do things that help the client. We don't do the things that are "beneath" us even though it would make a big difference. We value our own expertise being acknowledged ahead of the problem being solved. 

I think you can see why I like this book as well, with its theme of truth and authenticity. I do think it can be applied beyond the consultant/client relationship. If we can push through these kinds of fears, I think we'll end up with a much stronger, more powerful presence in our relationships. More truth would be spoken. In the Truth and Authenticity in the Digital Age presentation, I say that "fear lives where the truth is not spoken." When we don't speak the truth, then the people in our organizations often fill in the void with fear-based stories. But I didn't quite get how fear inhibits truth on the front end–the three fears that Lencioni is talking about.