Most leadership books focus on how to lead — the tools, the tactics, the traits.
But Patrick Lencioni’s The Motive takes a sharper turn. It asks a much more foundational question:
Why do you want to lead in the first place?
At PJ Wallbank Springs, this question resonates deeply.
As our CEO, Chris Wallbank, put it:
“This gets at what is the true motivation for an individual to be a leader and turns convention on its head for leaders or aspiring leaders early in their self-discovery journey.”
The Truth About Leadership
Too often, leadership is misunderstood as the prize at the end of a hard climb — a role that earns you distance, prestige, or control. Lencioni dismantles that idea. He argues that real leadership is a choice to serve, to take on hard responsibilities, and to put others first, even when it’s uncomfortable.
“Avoiding the discomfort that comes with leading is both selfish and counterproductive,”
Lencioni writes. “Leadership is not about the perks — it’s about the burdens.”
He goes so far as to say that we shouldn’t need to use the phrase “servant leadership” at all because true leadership is serving others. And we agree.
“Perhaps people will stop using the term ‘servant leadership’ altogether, because everyone will understand that it is the only valid kind. And that is certainly worth doing.”
Lencioni’s idea that “leadership can never be about the leader more than the led” shapes how we evaluate and grow leaders inside our business — whether it’s a first-time production leader or senior engineering manager.
We look for people who step up not for status, but for service. People who run toward problems, coach others, and carry the weight of decisions with humility and courage.
This book is particularly powerful for aspiring leaders to ask themselves:
Do you want to lead for what you can get? Or for what you’re willing to give?
Here, we believe the motive matters — and that’s the kind of leadership we’re building.
Ready to Build Better?
Whether you’re a talented builder, a values-driven leader, or a founder looking for a culture-first home for your team, we’d love to connect. We’re always looking for people — and businesses — who believe in building better. Let’s talk: wallbank@pjws.com
At PJWS, we believe learning doesn’t stop in the classroom—or even on the job. Many of our leaders and team members grow through reading, and the ideas we’ve gathered from authors over the years have shaped how we think, lead, and build our business.
That’s why we’re launching a new series: Books for Building Better
Each post will explore a book that’s helped us improve—from leadership and engineering to culture and strategy—and the practical ways we’re putting those lessons into action. Have a book that’s inspired you? Share it with us at: wallbank@pjws.com