How to Overcome the Agony of Meetings: A Leadership Fable

wanis ziat: Book arrived in perfect condition and delivery was quick

Canada on Dec 02, 2023

Tom Donato: Easy read with excellent business leadership lessons

United States on Nov 15, 2023

Charles Makola: The analysis and recommendations are on point. Will certainly try some recommendations in my team to improve the quality of our meetings

United States on Nov 13, 2023

CougaRey: I’m mad at myself for enjoying the format of this book. The first part of the book is a fictional narrative highlighting issues with executive meetings and the author’s framework for overcoming them. The narrative was hokey, but I was captivated and it did the job. I’ve already started implementing the meeting framework the author lays out and it has made things significantly more efficient and has helped us focus on the most important metrics of our mission. I highly recommend.

United States on Nov 01, 2023

Adomas Kontautas: Like many business books, this one too suffers from a lack of scientific backing. Perhaps this topic doesn't lend itself to much rigorous research. Nonetheless, I believe the formula this book presents for structuring company meetings is solid and worth trying out for at least a couple of months.

The idea of having different types of meetings, each centered around a specific context, seems logical. While this approach may increase the number of meetings you have, it could potentially lead to higher productivity for your entire team.

As I mentioned earlier, the author doesn't provide much evidence to support his ideas. He claims that his scriptwriting experience and love for movies inspired his approach, so only time will tell if it will work for your organization.

United States on Mar 20, 2023

oliver: This is the 3rd book I read from Lencioni and they all follow the same patter. The fables or stories are great, entertaining and informative. I learn a lot from them.
However, because his books are expensive in terms of length, he always add 40 pages at the end explaining again, in a boring way, what he already made clear during the story in an entertaining way. It just seems a way to add pages and justify the price and it always makes me finish the book on a lower note

Canada on Feb 22, 2021

Louis-Alexandre: I’m reading this as I want to develop ability to come together with my friends in developing an intentional community. It seems very useful and I can see us referring a number of time two is the good meeting practice is described here. I find the Fable approach really helpful to give texture to the ideas presented.

Canada on Apr 10, 2020

Fahad: I order a used one from Carlyle Books Canada and the the condition of the book was really good. No marks no tears and no missing pages at all so, thanks to seller for standingby the description.
About the book:
+ This is my first book to resume the reading after a long times and as a big fan of story based business books I loved it.
+ The narration, the darama and most of all the conflict! (if you know what I mean) was really good
+ The characters and the checmistry among them was really strong and made literally say 'you got it now!' many times
- The reality is not as easy to deal with but this book directs you towards having a conflict in your meetings and that's what the writer stress the most on.
- I was disappointed to not find the J.D's feedback to revamped meeting and no curosity over what changed in few weeks.

Canada on Aug 20, 2019

John W. Pearson: This is easy to admit--I cannot improve on Patrick Lencioni's fast-reading, get-the-four-big-ideas-immediately book. So, I'll just quote him in this review.

But first...here's a Pop Quiz! Everyone stand up. OK...now remain standing if your job requires you to attend at least one meeting a week. OK...now remain standing if you are in a minimum of five meetings a week (staff meeting, one-on-one meetings, etc.). I know...everyone is still standing. But now...remain standing if you have ever read a book, attended a workshop, viewed a webinar or had coaching on effective meetings management. (Anyone still standing?)

My top book pick in my "Meetings Bucket" is this book--but I've never fully reviewed it here. So...listen to Lencioni talk about "Sneaker Time" (pages 251-252):

"Most executives I know spend hours sending email, leaving voice mail, and roaming the halls to clarify issues that should have been made clear during a meeting in the first place. But no one accounts for this the way they do when they add up time spent in meetings.

"I have no doubt that sneaker time is the most subtle, dangerous, and underestimated black hole in corporate America. To...

United States on Dec 01, 2011

Christian: Patrick Lenconi's fable style of writing appeals to me as it is not weighty and academic and thus much more accessible. Through a serious story set in business he outlines his vision of how to make meetings much more effective and...enjoyable. There is not a great deal of complexity in his theory that underpins the fable, and there shouldn't be as that would conflict with his vision.

This will appeal to anyone who has struggled though a meeting and walked away wondering what they got out of it. It will also appeal to those who have run such meetings.

Consider this tale a timely reminder that trying to achieve too much in one place often means that not much is achieved. Through focusing on what is realistic, and not being afraid of conflict, meetings can be productive sessions that drive business forward and improve colleague relationships.

United Kingdom on Aug 10, 2009