{"podcast":{"title":"At The Table with Patrick Lencioni","slug":"at-the-table-with-patrick-lencioni-759364","podcast_index_feed_id":759364,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/atthetablepodcast/","website_url":"https://www.tablegroup.com/at-the-table/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/99b07965-19fd-4aa4-bb46-9ecbd9206a5e/new-att-tile-may-2023.jpg","author":"Patrick Lencioni","episode_count":278,"summary":"Real conversations and practical advice for everyday leaders. Sit across the table from one of the foremost experts in leadership and business. In his simple and approachable style, Pat tackles every topic related to the world of work (and some that aren’t). From culture to teamwork to building world-class organizations, Pat brings his wisdom, humor, and insight together to provide actionable advice for leaders everywhere. For more on Pat and the Table Group, visit https://www.tablegroup.com","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/at-the-table-with-patrick-lencioni-759364"},"episode":{"title":"252. Where There's Smoke...","slug":"252-where-there-s-smoke","published_at":"2025-09-30T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/at-the-table-with-patrick-lencioni-759364/252-where-there-s-smoke","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/at-the-table-with-patrick-lencioni-759364","url":"https://www.tablegroup.com/at-the-table/","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/25a8237d-9a23-4622-8eac-fa85bbf8c3af.mp3","summary":"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: https://www.tablegroup.com . 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. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ( https://apple.co/4hJKKSL ), Spotify ( https://spoti.fi/4l1aop0 ), and YouTube ( https://bit.ly/At-The-Table-YouTube ).  Follow Pat Lencioni on https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth , http://www.youtube.com/@PatrickLencioniOfficial , and https://x.com/patricklencioni .  Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencio…","meta_description":"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 towar…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":910,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/at-the-table-with-patrick-lencioni-759364/episodes/252-where-there-s-smoke/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/at-the-table-with-patrick-lencioni-759364/252-where-there-s-smoke.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}