Patrick Lencioni's The Three Signs Of A Miserable Job Analysis

Week Six Major Project Influence Application Part Two

Introduction

This paper compares the works of Patrick Lencioni’s The Three Signs of a Miserable Job (2007) with Influencer (2013) authored by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler with the intent of illustrating the complimentary applicability to improve employee morale and development, talent retention, and overall business success. In a world of growing job discontentment, despite a rising number of American college graduates, it remains the leader’s obligation to understand what drives behavior and to put together winning strategies to equip themselves and their team(s) with the influential tools necessary to nurture inevitably vibrant communities.

Over time, this dull pain can erode the self-confidence and passion of even the strongest people, which in turn, affects their spouses and children and friends in subtle but profound ways… Though it may be difficult to quantify, the dissatisfaction of employees has a direct impact on productivity, turnover, and morale, all of which eventually hit a company’s bottom line hard,” (p. ix –

They cannot be fulfilled in their work if their success depends on the opinions or whims of another person, no matter how benevolent that person may be. Without a tangible means of assessing success or failure, motivation eventually deteriorates as people see themselves as unable to control their own fate,” (Lencioni, 2007, p. 222).

Challenging a leader to work through problems, as opposed to around them, Influencer enlists the use of key number one, focus and measure, to develop articulate goals that support vital behaviors. “Clear goals aimed at a compelling target can have an enormous impact on behavior because they engage more than simply the brain. They also engage the heart,” (Grenny, Patterson, Maxfield, McMillan, & Swtizler, 2013, p. 18). As The Three Signs of a Miserable Job highlights the importance and reaction of solid measuring tools, Influencer then gives guidance on what constitutes good versus bad, and how leaders should use such tactics to motivate and improve people’s