252. Where There's Smoke...

What happens to a culture when leaders ignore problems? In episode 252 of At The Table, 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. Topics explored in this episode: 00:35 – Seeing Smoke * Leaders set the tone by how they respond to problems. 03:33 – Defining the Fire * Personnel problems are the most commonly ignored fires in organizations. 06:03 – Why Leaders Avoid the Fire * Confrontation feels messy and uncomfortable, especially when emotions are involved. 09:45 – The Cost of Avoidance * Ignoring smoke damages credibility, weakens leadership muscle, and sets a bad cultural example. 12:20 – Regaining Credibility * Leaders can only rebuild trust through visible action, not promises. This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: . We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable. At The Table is a podcast that lives at the connection between work life, leadership, organizational health, and culture.

You can listen to 252. Where There's Smoke... online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

252. Where There's Smoke... is an episode from At The Table with Patrick Lencioni by Cody Thompson.

This episode is 15:10 long.

This episode was published on Sep 30, 2025.

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