Here are some customer reviews of
Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box
: As a therapist I was pleasantly surprised to find that a book geared towards managers could have such far-reaching implications in my life and the lives of my clients. I believe that the ideas contained in this book could transform the counseling profession. This book is now required reading for all my clients.
Don't read this book if you're not willing to confront yourself about how you see, feel about and treat others in your life--spouse, boss, children, co-workers, subordinates, the janitor. It's a short and simple book with a surprisingly simple message. You'll find yourself constantly stopping throughout the book to reflect upon some situation you could have, and should have, handled differently by thinking about those involved in a different manner. This is a truly fresh and human approach to leadership and performance. Read it!
While I have been acquainted with the Arbinger material for 20 years, this book walked me back through many instances in my life when my heart has not been right with others. When I first learned this material, I was startled to discover the part I played with the "problem" people in my life. I liked it better when I thought I was "innocent." The most helpful aspect of the book's material was that it was presented in a way such that I didn't feel to defend myself. Instead, I felt to be completely honest with myself. The material has been encouraging and unsettling at the same time. I learned that I could improve myself and my relationships with others, but also that I had much to improve and repair. The thing I feared most, complete honesty, not just an accurate report of my self-deceived emotions, has turned out to be the most freeing experience. I also learned the meaning of the word, arbinger. It means "a forerunner of better things to come" or "that which precedes great change." P.S. Twenty years ago I had a lot of bad days with only a few good moments. Now I have a lot of good days with only a few bad moments. Thank you again, Arbinger.
There are three types of business books. The first has the literary taste and texture of recycled cardboard, with platitudes as plentiful as the mosquitoes on your last camping trip. Then there are the "empty calorie" books, offering a fleeting sense of exhilaration--that is, until you actually stop to ponder how any of this feel-good nonsense is really going to make a difference in your day-to-day work experience. On occasion, one finds a book that is both pleasing to read and at the same time provides information that can be applied directly to improving one's work performance and enjoyment. Leadership and Self-Deception, by the Arbinger Institute, falls into this latter category. Although targeted towards the business leader, L&SD explores a fundamental problem that is not necessarily limited to the world of the corporate jungle. The problem, which is both philosophically deep yet surprisingly simple, is self-deception. A founding principle of the book is that we are self-deceived when we have a problem, but don't know that we do, resulting in perceptions and actions that are damaging and counter-productive. L&SD clearly illustrates how we become self-deceived and, more importantly, how we can remove ourselves from this predicament. L&SD is surprisingly fresh, insightful, and potentially rewarding for those who put the principles into practice. From the preface: "Our experience in teaching about self-deception and its solution is that people find this knowledge liberating. It sharpens vision, reduces feelings of conflict, enlivens the desire for teamwork, redoubles accountability, magnifies the capacity to achieve results, and deepens satisfaction and happiness." This was precisely my experience with reading the book.
This is one of those books that I couldn't put down. It is an easy read, but I find myself thinking about the subject matter in almost all settings. I don't think the content of this book only applies to leadership. It applies to pretty much all of us. I reccomend it highly. I'm tempted to buy a copy for all of my friends and coworkers.
|
