The Motive. A Leadership Wake-Up Call for Franchise Owners and Operators
Why this short book by Patrick Lencioni should be required reading in every franchise system.
There are a lot of books that promise to help you become a “better leader.” Most of them are tactical. Some are inspiring. A few are even useful. But every once in a while, one comes along that hits different. Not because it tells you what to do, but because it forces you to stop and ask yourself why you’re even doing it in the first place.
That’s what The Motive by Patrick Lencioni does. It’s direct, uncomfortable, honest, and for anyone in a franchise system, whether you’re a franchisor, franchisee, or running the day-to-day inside a location, it’s one of the most important books you can read.
The core message: There are two types of leaders, and one is a liability.
Lencioni doesn’t waste time. He argues there are really only two reasons people step into leadership roles:
- Responsibility-Centered Leaders: those who take on leadership because they feel a duty to serve others, create clarity, solve problems, and build something bigger than themselves.
- Reward-Centered Leaders: those who seek leadership for the status, freedom, authority, or perceived perks. They want the role, but not the responsibilities that come with it.
Let’s be honest, every franchise system has both.
The reward-centered franchisee wants to “be their own boss,” but doesn’t want to be held accountable by the brand, manage their team, or follow operating systems. They resist tough feedback. They expect results without doing the reps. Their locations usually struggle, and the people under them feel the weight.
The responsibility-centered franchisee sees ownership differently. They understand that leadership is the job, not just ownership of the business, but stewardship of the people in it. They know they’re not just building a location; they’re building a culture, a team, and an experience. And those locations? They’re the ones that perform.
What real leadership looks like inside a franchise system
Lencioni outlines five responsibilities that true leaders don’t shy away from:
- Developing your leadership team: Hire people who care and then actually lead them. In the franchise world, this means building capable GMs, not just warm bodies.
- Managing people: Not outsourcing every difficult conversation to the franchisor or hoping your GM handles it. Leadership means staying engaged.
- Having uncomfortable conversations: Address underperformance, misalignment, or toxic behavior early. Don’t let it fester.
- Running effective meetings: Meetings don’t have to be long or formal, but they do have to exist. Communication is your job.
- Constant communication and clarity: Whether it’s sharing vision with your team or clarifying expectations with the franchisor, silence is not leadership.
It’s not glamorous. It’s not the reason most people buy into a franchise. But it’s the reality of the role, and the franchisees who embrace it consistently outperform those who don’t.
For franchisors: This book is your gut check.
If you’re part of the franchisor team, this book is just as important. It asks the same tough questions:
- Are you leading because you want to build something meaningful, or because you like being in charge?
- Are you holding yourself to the same standards you expect of your franchisees?
- Are you building systems that make your franchisees better leaders, or just better operators?
In a growing system, it’s tempting to focus on scale, brand growth, or franchise sales. But long-term success is built on franchisee leadership. If you’re not modeling responsibility-centered leadership, you can’t expect your network to either.
The moment that stuck with me
There’s a line in The Motive that punched me right in the chest:
That one hit hard. Because I’ve been there. I’ve avoided conversations. I’ve justified silence. I’ve told myself that maybe the problem would work itself out.
But the truth is, leadership is supposed to be heavy. If it feels easy, you’re probably doing it wrong.
Why this matters to us, and why it should matter to you
At The Point, we talk a lot about culture, ownership, and high standards, but those don’t happen by accident. They happen when leaders show up and do the hard things. That applies whether you’re running one location, five, or supporting a network of operators across the country.
The Motive reminded me that our success isn’t just about how many units we open. It’s about how well we lead the ones we already have. That starts with us, and it sets the tone for every person who joins our brand.
So if you’re a franchisee, a GM, or part of our leadership team, I encourage you to read this book. Not for business tips. Not for inspiration. But as a gut check.
Because at the end of the day, your motive matters more than your title.