Recently, I joined Al Amador for a powerful deep-dive into the themes of The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni — and what stood out most were three cornerstones he emphasized:
- The team you’re on vs. the team you lead. Al challenged us to broaden our view of leadership. It’s not just about managing your direct reports, but about being fully invested in the peer leadership team you’re part of. The shift: stop thinking only “my team” and start thinking “our leadership team.” That distinction opens the door to real cohesion and shared accountability.
- What’s the most important thing to be working on right now? Al walked us through the idea of a “rally cry” (a short-term, high-leverage priority) as a leadership tool for clarity. When every initiative, every meeting, every communication aligns to one unifying short-term objective, teams can move faster and with far fewer distractions.
- Managing behaviors before numbers. The metrics matter, of course, but Al reminded us: the behaviors that produce the metrics matter more. Before we chase KPIs, we must ask: what underlying behaviors are driving (or undermining) our results? A team may be technically brilliant, but if the foundational behaviors aren’t aligned, dysfunction creeps in.
Beyond these three pillars, I asked Al what he sees as the most common management-improvement opportunities. In our session he named several, among them:
- The tendency for leadership teams to function as a “working group” rather than a true team (i.e., collaboration without shared accountability).
- The avoidance of vulnerability and real conflict among peers, which blocks trust and stalls growth.
- Fixating on outcomes and numbers, while neglecting the behaviors and the culture that produce those outcomes.
If you’re looking to elevate not just your own leadership but the health of your team and organization, this class is a must-watch. Al brings decades of experience working with organizations like Apple, The North Face and Netflix, and his approach is as practical as it is compelling.
Your next step? Watch the full session to explore:
- How to run a “personal histories” exercise to build vulnerability-based trust
- How to craft your team’s next six-month rally cry
- How to audit your team’s behaviors and begin shifting them immediately
Don’t just aim to be a better manager — aim to build a healthy leadership team that leads with trust, clarity and accountability.
Want more practical leadership tools like this? Club Solutions Institute gives you access to expert-led masterclasses, templates and systems built for health club leaders and their teams. Request a free demo and start transforming how your team leads, communicates and performs.
