My Take-Aways: Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni
Updated: Mar 30
I read this book early in my coaching career and immediately applied one of its key principles: "don’t sell…just start helping people." This made me happy because I knew I was making a difference. Others benefited and some even hired me in the process.
I love reading Patrick Lencioni’s books because most are written as fables. I get caught up in the story and before it is over, I have learned some valuable principles to apply at work and in life.
Here are some of the best quotes:
“For those who provide service to clients, vulnerability is particularly powerful.”
“We have learned over the years that having a bad client is worse than having none. It prevents you from finding other good clients and you are unlikely to get a good reference.”
“He didn’t do any selling at all. Instead, he just went in there and started helping them.”
“They spend very little time doing research or writing up proposals or wordsmithing presentations. They just show up and spend their time asking questions and doing primary research right there. It’s like they skip the whole sales process.”
The power of what the company does in the book is explained by one word: vulnerability – embracing uncommon levels of humility, selflessness and transparency for the good of the client. It is a certain kind of fearlessness…they don’t seem afraid of anything. What would they be afraid of? Three things:
1. Fear of losing the business, instead:
A. Consult/don’t sell
B. Give away the business
C. Tell the kind truth
D. Enter the danger
2. Fear of being embarrassed, instead:
A. Ask dumb questions
B. Make dumb suggestions
C. Celebrate your mistakes
3. Fear of feeling inferior
A. Take a bullet for the client
B. Make everything about the
C. Honor the client’s work
D. Do the dirty work
E. Admit your weaknesses and limitations
I highly recommend this book. Here is a link: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Naked-Business-Shedding-Sabotage/dp/0787976393/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=getting+naked&qid=1582145016&sr=8-3