One More Book Recommendation

May 21, 2020

NOLN's book recommendations don't stop at the May issue story. Check out this additional business strategy read from a prominent industry member.

May 21, 2020—Hopefully by now you've caught up with NOLN's May issue, which includes "The Books That Inspire Quick Lube Leaders." The story features five book recommendations from operators and company executives, who explain how those works inspired them in business.

It was a great collection of books, but the list didn't end there. Ken Voelker, CEO of the Mighty Distributing System of America, actually had two recommendations for NOLN readers. His second book didn't make it into the magazine story, so here it is:

“The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team” Patrick Lencioni

Voelker was kind enough to offer more than one book to explore.His first recommendation was "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't" by Jim Collins.

This selection is “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team” by the popular business writer Patrick Lencioni. The fictional fable follows the exploits of DecisionTech, Inc., which encounters the titular five pitfalls—dysfunctions, as it were.

The dysfunctions themselves, organized by Lencioni in a pyramid, are from bottom to top: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results.

Voelker found it to be a clear and concise explanation of organizational structure.

“You’re not putting up barriers between departments,” he says. “I just think that Lencioni does a good job in identifying potential pitfalls and maximizing teamwork in a company.”

Some of Voelker’s main takeaways from the book were to reinforce the values of communication and setting expectations among team members. In fact, it’s clear that miscommunication, or the lack of communication, can result from all of the five dysfunctions depicted in the book.
Voelker has distributed this book, like “Good to Great,” to his colleagues at Mighty. In his own leadership style, he’s found that sometimes the old cliches hold true.

“Good management and leadership is a journey and not a destination,” he says. “You have to practice what you preach and take a long-term view.”