Trust underpins organizational health

Why does recommitting to trust matter more than recommitting to strategy?

Episode 258 of At The Table episode explores the moments when teams and relationships reach a breaking point—where everything could unravel or deepen. Pat and Cody reflect on their own recent off-site, sharing how choosing vulnerability and recommitment led them to greater unity, clarity, and trust. They argue that the “messy” work of recommitting isn’t soft; it’s the most essential and transformative part of leadership.

Topics explored in this episode:

(03:17) Why the Cliff Always Feels Real

* Early moments in The Table Group’s history when setbacks could have ended everything but ultimately created stronger bonds.

* Parallels between organizational plateaus and long-term marriage.

(07:06) Messiness, Trust, and Misconceptions

* Why leaders shouldn’t judge their own teams for imperfection.

* Challenging the myth that offsites should be purely strategic.

(10:58) The Moment of Truth

* The “moment of truth” where a leader either risks more vulnerability or puts a ceiling on the entire organization.

(15:03) Recommitment as the Path to Fruitfulness

* Why trust—not strategy—is what makes or breaks performance, speed, and long-term health.

* How naming hard truths unlocked unity, clarity, and deeper commitment.

This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: https://www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.

At The Table is a podcast that lives at the connection between work life, leadership, organizational health, and culture. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4hJKKSL), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/6NWAZzkzl4ljxX7S2xkHvu), and YouTube (https://bit.ly/At-The-Table-YouTube).

Follow Pat Lencioni on https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth, http://www.youtube.com/@PatrickLencioniOfficial, and https://x.com/patricklencioni.

Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4iNz6Yn), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/3raC053GF5mtkq6Y1klpRU), and YouTube (https://bit.ly/Working-Genius-YouTube).

Let us know your feedback via podcast@tablegroup.com.

This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co.