Patrick Lencioni's The Motive is a leadership fable that explores why some leaders fail to fulfill crucial responsibilities.

The book suggests that many leaders are motivated by the wrong incentives. They seek personal rewards such as recognition and power instead of concentrating on serving their teams and organizations. It introduces reward-centered versus responsibility-centered leadership concepts and argues that the latter is essential for organizational health.

Reward-centered leaders often neglect vital tasks like team development, individual management, difficult conversations, effective meetings, and consistent communication.

The book champions servant leadership and encourages individuals to examine their leadership motivations. It advocates for a shift towards selfless responsibility and ultimately highlights the importance of prioritizing the organization's and its people's needs over personal gain to achieve meaningful success.