Product Description

The "disease" of self-deception (acting in ways contrary to what one knows is right) underlies all leadership problems in today's organizations, according to the premise of this work. However well intentioned they may be, leaders who deceive themselves always end up undermining their own performance.

This straightforward book explains how leaders can discover their own self-deceptions and learn how to escape destructive patterns. The authors demonstrate that breaking out of these patterns leads to improved teamwork, commitment, trust, communication, motivation, and leadership.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #489 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02-09
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Amazon.com
Using the story/parable format so popular these days, Leadership and Self-Deception takes a novel psychological approach to leadership. It's not what you do that matters, say the authors (presumably plural--the book is credited to the esteemed Arbinger Institute), but why you do it. Latching onto the latest leadership trend won't make people follow you if your motives are selfish--people can smell a rat, even one that says it's trying to empower them. The tricky thing is, we don't know that our motivation is flawed. We deceive ourselves in subtle ways into thinking that we're doing the right thing for the right reason. We really do know what the right thing to do is, but this constant self-justification becomes such an ingrained habit that it's hard to break free of it--it's as though we're trapped in a box, the authors say.

Learning how the process of self-deception works--and how to avoid it and stay in touch with our innate sense of what's right--is at the heart of the book. We follow Tom, an old-school, by-the-book kind of guy who is a newly hired executive at Zagrum Corporation, as two senior executives show him the many ways he's "in the box," how that limits him as a leader in ways he's not aware of, and of course how to get out. This is as much a book about personal transformation as it is about leadership per se. The authors use examples from the characters' private as well as professional lives to show how self-deception skews our view of ourselves and the world and ruins our interactions with people, despite what we sincerely believe are our best intentions.

While the writing won't make John Updike lose any sleep, the story entertainingly does the job of pulling the reader in and making a potentially abstruse argument quite enjoyable. The authors have a much better ear for dialogue than is typical of the genre (the book is largely dialogue), although a certain didactic tone creeps in now and then. But ultimately it's a hopeful, even inspiring read that flows along nicely and conveys a message that more than a few managers need to hear. --Pat McGill

From AudioFile
In this fictional tale an executive learns the great secret of leadership effect-iveness: to get out of the self-deceptive box of narcissism and start connecting in empathic and respectful ways with others. We're in the box when we treat others as objects or focus on what's wrong with them instead of what we can do to help. Without discounting the value of strong managerial direction, the story reasserts something we know but don't practice--that people are more likely to be enthusiastic and effective when they know we care about them. The smooth reading by the incomparable William Dufris allows the story to be absorbed and savored. A worthwhile addition to anyone's audio library of management classics. T.W. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Steven C. Wheelwright, Professor and Senior Associate Dean, Harvard Business School
"Fascinating, thought provoking, and insightful! Once I started reading, I couldnt put it down."

Customer Reviews

Quick easy read which is unusual for this type of material. Profound
This book is extremely valuable and will benefit just about anyone who reads it. If the priciples are taken to heart and used in the workplace, some very positive shifting can occur. Reading it will give hope to many who work in an environment that has many human obstacles to progress and success (and aren't they all human?). Read it on your next plane ride - it's even entertaining!!

Just wonderful!!!
This is a wonderful book to read. If you happen to get the audio version, its the best.

Life changing
I was given this book to read as a member of our church leadership. It had such an impact on me and how I view others, I bought a copy for every one of my employees. It has been amazing to hear others find so much in such a small book. The information in this book may have been written for business, but can be applied to all aspects of life. I highly recommend it.