Newsletter March 2026

Thank you!

John Horan-Kates  (JHK), President

JohnHoranKates@gmail.com

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Please consider sharing this newsletter with others who might be interested in our mission to build leaders of purpose and character. If this was forwarded, you can sign up for our newsletter here.

If you have comments or questions about the Alliance or our Leaders Network, please contact me at JohnHoranKates@gmail.com.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
-Margaret Mead

Communicating

The Inside First Principle for March

Definition: The art and process of creating understanding and expressing yourself in such a way that you are clearly understood.

Overview 

Communicating is probably one of the most difficult leadership skills, and at the same time, one of the most critical. Effective leaders must be able to get their message across. Whether it’s an idea or a request, you’ve got to be clear. But communicating can be complex because people are complex.

The purpose of communicating should be creating a shared perspective between and among people. Powerful communication is not about being right or winning the conversation, but really about learning. That’s why an important aspect of Inside First leadership is more about asking good questions than about having the right answer…

LEADING PERSPECTIVES

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team  by Pactick Lencioni

Overview

This fictional story makes a strong case that teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage in organizations. But because teams are made up of imperfect individuals, there are bound to be inherent dysfunctions. Lencioni portrays the real-world ways that five dysfunctions show-up in teams and how to overcome them. He argues that the desired behaviors are theoretically uncomplicated, but at the same time they are extremely difficult to put into practice.

The five dysfunctions are: absence of trust; fear of conflict; lack of commitment; avoidance of accountability; and inattention to results. Each of these dysfunctions builds on the others, with trust being the key. And because of these challenges, Lencioni argues that building truly cohesive teams is hard work. But if we are willing to push through our human frailties, if we can get our ego into a healthy balance, great things are possible.

Key Principle

• Trust: Trust is the foundation of real teamwork. The key is to make the collective ego greater than the individual ones…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patrick Lencioni is the founder and president of The Table Group, a management consulting firm. He is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College and lives in San Francisco. He is the author of The Five Temptations of a CEO and Death by Meeting.

“When everyone is focused on results and using those to define success, it is difficult for ego to get out of hand. No matter how good an individual on the team might be feeling about his or her situation, if the team loses, everyone loses.”

- Patrick Lencioni

WHO WE ARE

The Vail Leadership Alliance is a nonprofit membership network dedicated to inspiring purposeful leading and living. We convene peer groups of developing leaders and share thought-provoking ideas. We begin by focusing on the Inside First perspective to build a strong foundation of character and clarify one’s values, purpose, and vision. With this foundation, we introduce leadership skills that form ethical leaders and stronger communities. Participants say our approach advances careers while building a cohesive community of leaders who collaborate to better the lives they impact. They say we changed their lives.