Working Genius: Why Your Best People Are In The Wrong Roles with Patrick Lencioni

Working Genius: Why Your Best People Are In The Wrong Roles with Patrick Lencioni

July 7, 2026 · 1h 27m · Season 20 · Episode 10

About this episode

Patrick Lencioni discusses the importance of team attributes over talent in building high-performing teams.

Most leaders are building teams around talent and titles when the real unlock has nothing to do with either. Patrick Lencioni, one of the most influential business thinkers on the planet, joins Brendan on episode 200 of the ScaleX Insider podcast to reveal why humble, hungry and smart beats brilliant every time, why your team's silence in meetings is costing you everything, and why the most dangerous person on your team might be your best performer. In this landmark 200th episode, Brendan sits down with Patrick Lencioni, bestselling author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, The Ideal Team Player, and The Six Types of Working Genius, to deliver what is arguably the most practical masterclass on building high performing teams ever recorded on this show. Pat opens by dismantling the idea that talent alone builds great organisations and introduces the three attributes he believes every team player must have: humble, hungry, and smart, not intellectually smart but socially aware, able to read a room, and conscious of how their actions land on others. He explains why most interviews are completely useless at identifying these qualities and shares three unconventional tactics that…

People in this episode

Host: Brendan McGurgan

Guest: Patrick Lencioni

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Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, The Ideal Team Player, The Six Types of Working Genius

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