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At the Table with Patrick Lencioni

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275. Where Do You Really Work?

At the Table with Patrick Lencioni
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Sit across the table from one of the foremost experts in leadership and business. In his simple and approachable style, Pat tackles every topic related to the world of work (and some that aren’t). From culture to family to building world-class organizations, Pat brings his wisdom, humor, and insight together to provide actionable advice for leaders everywhere.

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Episode 275podcast microphone image
08/18/2026

Where Do You Really Work?

Where do you actually do your best and most important work? Work does not always happen where, when, or how people expect it to happen. In episode 275 of At The Table, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore why thinking, brainstorming, reflecting, and solving problems should count just as much as the visible activity people typically associate with productivity. They challenge leaders to create cultures that measure people by meaningful contribution and results rather than how busy they appear at their desks. Topics explored in this episode: (00:00) Where Does Work Really Happen? Pat questions whether traditional work hours and office spaces accurately reflect when people are actually doing their most valuable work. Cody expands the conversation by asking a more fundamental question: what should actually qualify as work? (03:43) Making Space for Different Kinds of Work Pat explains why choosing to stay away from the office for an hour of focused creative thinking can sometimes be more productive than immediately sitting at a desk. Pat and Cody discuss how personality, Working Genius, and the nature of a person’s responsibilities can influence where and how that person works best. (07:27) What Leaders Should Measure Pat challenges CEOs to consider whether they want employees thinking about their work outside traditional work hours and argues that overly rigid boundaries can discourage that engagement. Cody pushes the idea further by questioning why computer work and task completion are so often treated as more legitimate than meetings, conversations, and creative thought. (10:57) The Four Types of Work Pat introduces a two-by-two framework that divides work into thinking versus doing and collective versus solitary. The conversation explores why each type of work may require a different setting and why organizations should deliberately create room for thinking rather than defaulting constantly to execution. (14:32) Effectiveness Over Visible Productivity Pat argues that healthy cultures can give people more freedom over how they work while still expecting meaningful results. Pat and Cody conclude that organizations should judge contribution by the work that actually needs to be accomplished rather than whether productivity is visibly demonstrated through desk time and constant activity. This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: 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. Subscribe for more content from Patrick Lencioni @PatrickLencioniOfficial Stay Connected with Patrick Lencioni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricklencioniofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patricklencioniofficial X: https://x.com/patricklencioni At The Table with Patrick Lencioni Apple: https://tablegroup.me/apple Spotify: https://tablegroup.me/sptfy YouTube: https://tablegroup.me/youtube Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://workinggenius.me/apple), Spotify (https://workinggenius.me/sptfy), and YouTube (https://workinggenius.me/wgyt). Let us know your feedback via [email protected]. This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co.

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Episode 275podcast microphone image
08/18/2026

Where Do You Really Work?

Where do you actually do your best and most important work? Work does not always happen where, when, or how people expect it to happen. In episode 275 of At The Table, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore why thinking, brainstorming, reflecting, and solving problems should count just as much as the visible activity people typically associate with productivity. They challenge leaders to create cultures that measure people by meaningful contribution and results rather than how busy they appear at their desks. Topics explored in this episode: (00:00) Where Does Work Really Happen? Pat questions whether traditional work hours and office spaces accurately reflect when people are actually doing their most valuable work. Cody expands the conversation by asking a more fundamental question: what should actually qualify as work? (03:43) Making Space for Different Kinds of Work Pat explains why choosing to stay away from the office for an hour of focused creative thinking can sometimes be more productive than immediately sitting at a desk. Pat and Cody discuss how personality, Working Genius, and the nature of a person’s responsibilities can influence where and how that person works best. (07:27) What Leaders Should Measure Pat challenges CEOs to consider whether they want employees thinking about their work outside traditional work hours and argues that overly rigid boundaries can discourage that engagement. Cody pushes the idea further by questioning why computer work and task completion are so often treated as more legitimate than meetings, conversations, and creative thought. (10:57) The Four Types of Work Pat introduces a two-by-two framework that divides work into thinking versus doing and collective versus solitary. The conversation explores why each type of work may require a different setting and why organizations should deliberately create room for thinking rather than defaulting constantly to execution. (14:32) Effectiveness Over Visible Productivity Pat argues that healthy cultures can give people more freedom over how they work while still expecting meaningful results. Pat and Cody conclude that organizations should judge contribution by the work that actually needs to be accomplished rather than whether productivity is visibly demonstrated through desk time and constant activity. This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: 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. Subscribe for more content from Patrick Lencioni @PatrickLencioniOfficial Stay Connected with Patrick Lencioni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricklencioniofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patricklencioniofficial X: https://x.com/patricklencioni At The Table with Patrick Lencioni Apple: https://tablegroup.me/apple Spotify: https://tablegroup.me/sptfy YouTube: https://tablegroup.me/youtube Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://workinggenius.me/apple), Spotify (https://workinggenius.me/sptfy), and YouTube (https://workinggenius.me/wgyt). Let us know your feedback via [email protected]. This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co.

Read More⟶
Episode 275podcast microphone image
08/18/2026

Where Do You Really Work?

Where do you actually do your best and most important work? Work does not always happen where, when, or how people expect it to happen. In episode 275 of At The Table, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore why thinking, brainstorming, reflecting, and solving problems should count just as much as the visible activity people typically associate with productivity. They challenge leaders to create cultures that measure people by meaningful contribution and results rather than how busy they appear at their desks. Topics explored in this episode: (00:00) Where Does Work Really Happen? Pat questions whether traditional work hours and office spaces accurately reflect when people are actually doing their most valuable work. Cody expands the conversation by asking a more fundamental question: what should actually qualify as work? (03:43) Making Space for Different Kinds of Work Pat explains why choosing to stay away from the office for an hour of focused creative thinking can sometimes be more productive than immediately sitting at a desk. Pat and Cody discuss how personality, Working Genius, and the nature of a person’s responsibilities can influence where and how that person works best. (07:27) What Leaders Should Measure Pat challenges CEOs to consider whether they want employees thinking about their work outside traditional work hours and argues that overly rigid boundaries can discourage that engagement. Cody pushes the idea further by questioning why computer work and task completion are so often treated as more legitimate than meetings, conversations, and creative thought. (10:57) The Four Types of Work Pat introduces a two-by-two framework that divides work into thinking versus doing and collective versus solitary. The conversation explores why each type of work may require a different setting and why organizations should deliberately create room for thinking rather than defaulting constantly to execution. (14:32) Effectiveness Over Visible Productivity Pat argues that healthy cultures can give people more freedom over how they work while still expecting meaningful results. Pat and Cody conclude that organizations should judge contribution by the work that actually needs to be accomplished rather than whether productivity is visibly demonstrated through desk time and constant activity. This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: 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. Subscribe for more content from Patrick Lencioni @PatrickLencioniOfficial Stay Connected with Patrick Lencioni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricklencioniofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patricklencioniofficial X: https://x.com/patricklencioni At The Table with Patrick Lencioni Apple: https://tablegroup.me/apple Spotify: https://tablegroup.me/sptfy YouTube: https://tablegroup.me/youtube Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://workinggenius.me/apple), Spotify (https://workinggenius.me/sptfy), and YouTube (https://workinggenius.me/wgyt). Let us know your feedback via [email protected]. This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co.

Read More⟶
Episode 275podcast microphone image
08/18/2026

Where Do You Really Work?

Where do you actually do your best and most important work? Work does not always happen where, when, or how people expect it to happen. In episode 275 of At The Table, Pat Lencioni and Cody Thompson explore why thinking, brainstorming, reflecting, and solving problems should count just as much as the visible activity people typically associate with productivity. They challenge leaders to create cultures that measure people by meaningful contribution and results rather than how busy they appear at their desks. Topics explored in this episode: (00:00) Where Does Work Really Happen? Pat questions whether traditional work hours and office spaces accurately reflect when people are actually doing their most valuable work. Cody expands the conversation by asking a more fundamental question: what should actually qualify as work? (03:43) Making Space for Different Kinds of Work Pat explains why choosing to stay away from the office for an hour of focused creative thinking can sometimes be more productive than immediately sitting at a desk. Pat and Cody discuss how personality, Working Genius, and the nature of a person’s responsibilities can influence where and how that person works best. (07:27) What Leaders Should Measure Pat challenges CEOs to consider whether they want employees thinking about their work outside traditional work hours and argues that overly rigid boundaries can discourage that engagement. Cody pushes the idea further by questioning why computer work and task completion are so often treated as more legitimate than meetings, conversations, and creative thought. (10:57) The Four Types of Work Pat introduces a two-by-two framework that divides work into thinking versus doing and collective versus solitary. The conversation explores why each type of work may require a different setting and why organizations should deliberately create room for thinking rather than defaulting constantly to execution. (14:32) Effectiveness Over Visible Productivity Pat argues that healthy cultures can give people more freedom over how they work while still expecting meaningful results. Pat and Cody conclude that organizations should judge contribution by the work that actually needs to be accomplished rather than whether productivity is visibly demonstrated through desk time and constant activity. This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: 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. Subscribe for more content from Patrick Lencioni @PatrickLencioniOfficial Stay Connected with Patrick Lencioni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricklencioniofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patricklencioniofficial X: https://x.com/patricklencioni At The Table with Patrick Lencioni Apple: https://tablegroup.me/apple Spotify: https://tablegroup.me/sptfy YouTube: https://tablegroup.me/youtube Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://workinggenius.me/apple), Spotify (https://workinggenius.me/sptfy), and YouTube (https://workinggenius.me/wgyt). Let us know your feedback via [email protected]. This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co.

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Episode 274podcast microphone image
08/04/2026

Let’s Get Physical

Why might physical work become more valuable as AI advances? Physical, hands-on work may be entering a new era of relevance as artificial intelligence changes the future of desk-based careers. In episode 274 of At The Table, Pat and Cody explore how tangible work can provide economic stability, human connection, visible accomplishment, and opportunities for personal development. They also challenge leaders and parents to consider whether efficiency should always take priority over the dignity, growth, and satisfaction that meaningful work can provide. Topics explored in this episode: (00:00) Why Physical Work Is Becoming Cool Again Pat introduces the growing appeal of physical, present, and tangible work as artificial intelligence begins replacing more computer-based tasks. Pat and Cody examine how previous generations encouraged young people to pursue white-collar careers rather than jobs involving physical skill or direct service. (03:40) The Unexpected Value of a Tree Service Pat shares the story of Rocky Hernandez, who built a successful tree-service business after coming to the United States without a formal education. Rocky’s son may discover that taking over and expanding the family business offers more opportunity and security than remaining in a high-tech career. (07:17) The Satisfaction of Visible Results Cody explains how physical work changes people by requiring them to do difficult things and experience the concrete results of their effort. Pat broadens the definition of physical work to include teaching, childcare, restaurants, healthcare, customer service, and other careers built around human presence. (11:36) Work, Entrepreneurship, and Human Dignity Cody contrasts an automated lawnmower with a 13-year-old neighbor who started a lawn-care business to earn money for a ski pass. Pat and Cody discuss why decisions about automation are also moral decisions involving personal growth, opportunity, dignity, and the kind of people work helps create. (15:03) Learning Differently and Building Something Real Pat considers how technology companies can preserve physical, customer-facing work while artificial intelligence reduces the need for certain technical roles. Pat and Cody predict changes in higher education and encourage families to recognize the practical wisdom of careers that produce tangible, visible results. This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: 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. Subscribe for more content from Patrick Lencioni @PatrickLencioniOfficial Stay Connected with Patrick Lencioni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricklencioniofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patricklencioniofficial X: https://x.com/patricklencioni At The Table with Patrick Lencioni Apple: https://tablegroup.me/apple Spotify: https://tablegroup.me/sptfy YouTube: https://tablegroup.me/youtube Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://workinggenius.me/apple), Spotify (https://workinggenius.me/sptfy), and YouTube (https://workinggenius.me/wgyt). Let us know your feedback via [email protected]. This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co.

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