Week 8: Personal Growth and Courageous Leadership

Podcast: At The Table with Patrick Lencioni 

Episode: “Where There’s Smoke” 

Description: What happens to a culture when leaders ignore problems? In this episode, Patrick and Cody explore the leadership principle of running toward the fire. They discuss why leaders often ignore the “smoke” of personnel or cultural issues, hoping problems will resolve themselves. Instead, they argue that credibility, trust, and organizational health are built when leaders courageously confront issues before they spread. 

Discussion Questions: 

1. What does Patrick mean by “running toward the smoke” and why do leaders often avoid doing that? 
2. How does confronting issues early build credibility and trust in a culture? 
3. Where do you see “smoke” in your current context that might require courageous leadership? 

Required Reading: 

Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John Maxwell
LESSON 10 | The Expansion of Leadership: Personal Growth 

Discussion Questions: 

1. Why is personal growth essential to expanding leadership capacity? 
2. What is your current personal growth plan? 
3. How does a leader’s growth affect the growth of those they lead? 
4. What rhythms or systems help you grow consistently? 
5. What is one growth goal for the next 90 days?