I received an invitation to participate in a graduation ceremony at the Folsom State Prison, in California. I looked forward to the meeting and wanted to encourage the people in the audience to make a commitment to lifelong learning. By reading, I explained, anyone could develop new skills that would open more opportunities for success upon release.
I learned the value of reading while I was in solitary confinement during the first year of my confinement. Regardless of what obstacles exist in prison, if we make a commitment to read, we can learn. By learning, we develop our mind and gain an advantage. When I visited the prison, I intended to weave the importance of writing book reports into my presentations. It’s not hard to complete. To write a book report, we simply respond to three questions:
- Why did I choose to read the book?
- What did I learn from reading the book?
- In what ways will reading the book accelerate my path to success?
If people make a commitment to write book reports, they will develop an asset that they can use in their release plan. I show them the ways that I wrote book reports while in prison, and how I still follow this tactic today. Below I offer a book report for The Advantage.
Why I Read The Advantage
Artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize the way we interact with the world—including the way we discover new books. Audible, a company owned by Amazon, recommended The Advantage after I finished listening to a different book. The title intrigued me, and when I listened to the prologue, I found Patrick Lencioni’s message both clear and practical. Though I had not heard of him before, I appreciated his message on the importance of building on organizational health and the human side of leadership. His message would fit in with our courses on being the CEO of our life.
I downloaded the audio book and listened to it during my runs. For me, books become tools that I can use in my efforts to teach others. I rely on them to sharpen my thinking and improve the ways I serve others through our work at Prison Professors Charitable Corporation.
What I learned from listening to The Advantage
Patrick Lencioni tells us that:
The single greatest advantage any company can achieve is organizational health.
He defines organizational health not in terms of strategy or marketing, but in terms of clarity, alignment, trust, and effective communication. Healthy organizations eliminate politics and confusion, making it easier for people to get things done and feel fulfilled in the process.
I took found several lessons in listening to his book:
Build a Cohesive Leadership Team
Lencioni emphasizes the importance of trust and vulnerability among leadership. Leaders must be comfortable being wrong, asking for help, and supporting one another. This model of authentic leadership encourages unity.
Create Clarity
Every organization must answer six critical questions:
- Why do we exist?
- How do we behave?
- What do we do?
- How will we succeed?
- What is most important, right now?
- Who must do what?
Answering the questions abpve helps leaders align every part of the organization around a clear vision and purpose.
Overcommunicate Clarity
Once an organization establishes clarity, it must continuously communicate it. Lencioni argues that repetition is a sign of strategic consistency—not redundancy.
Reinforce Clarity Through Human Systems
Hiring, onboarding, managing performance, and rewarding employees must all align with the organization’s purpose and values. Otherwise, culture falls apart in practice, even if it sounds good on paper.
How I will Use The Advantage in My Work
Although Patrick Lencioni speaks mostly to leaders of corporations and nonprofits, the principles he teaches apply equally well to individuals navigating the journey through prison—and preparing for success upon release.
At Prison Professors, I create content to teach people in prison how to be the CEOs of their own lives. Here’s how The Advantage influences my work:
- Building Trust Through Vulnerability
I talk about my own failures and the steps I took to restore trust and rebuild my life. Vulnerability is a leadership strength. This book reinforces that idea. In the prison setting, it teaches people not to wear false bravado but to be real with themselves and others. - Creating Clarity with the Straight-A Guide
Lencioni’s six questions mirror the ten steps in our Straight-A Guide: values, goals, attitude, aspiration, action, accountability, awareness, authenticity, achievement, and appreciation. Both frameworks aim to build a coherent, purpose-driven life. - Overcommunicating the Vision
Whether I’m speaking at universities or producing lessons for solitary confinement units, I repeat our message often: You can succeed if you prepare with discipline and a clear plan. This isn’t repetition for its own sake—it’s strategic reinforcement. - Reinforcing Success Through Systems
I teach people to build their own systems of accountability—daily journals, success logs, and personal mission statements. These are the human systems that reinforce clarity in an individual’s life.
How This Book Contributes to My Pursuit of Excellence and Success
Every book I read strengthens the internal framework I rely upon to lead and serve. The Advantage reminded me that clarity, consistency, and culture aren’t just organizational ideals. They are personal commitments. As someone who served 26 years in prison and emerged to build a nonprofit and multiple businesses, I know the importance of having a healthy internal compass.
By applying Lencioni’s principles, I continue to build a stronger organization, and more importantly, I help others do the same—even from behind bars. I teach that prison doesn’t define your future. Your daily decisions do. And when you lead yourself with clarity, consistency, and commitment, you create an advantage no one can take away.
Self-Directed Question:
- What systems and values can you implement today to build clarity and consistency in your own life, no matter where you are starting from?
