278. The Horse That Isn't Dead Yet (Are You Serious)

About this episode

Are you treating teamwork as a real competitive advantage or simply something your company says it values? In episode 278 of At The Table, Patrick Lencioni and Cody Thompson revisit the debate over remote work, arguing that there is an important distinction between hiring genuinely remote employees, offering reasonable flexibility, and allowing local teammates to avoid working together. They challenge leaders to consider whether policies built primarily around convenience are undermining trust, culture, productivity, and the competitive advantages that come from real human interaction. Ultimately, the episode asks leaders and employees to answer a more fundamental question: are they serious enough about their work and their teammates to prioritize being together when they can? Topics explored in this episode: (00:00) The Horse Still Isn’t Dead • Pat argues that teamwork requires people to actually know one another and spend meaningful time together. • Pat and Cody introduce the recurring remote-work debate and distinguish local work-from-home arrangements from truly remote employment. (03:16) When Work Becomes “Unserious” • Cody explains why allowing nearby employees to