Leadership and Self-Deception

I received the book Leadership and Self-Deception as a gift from a close friend of mine recently. The book is written as a parable much like another leadership book, The Goal given to me as a gift (but not from a friend). I have to admit, I do not like the parable format. The stories told in this way seem contrived; no wait, they don't seem contrived, they are contrived.

The book also has no author. Well, OK, no single author. Instead, credit for the book is given to the Arbinger Institute. There is no research behind the story, and no academic references other than to an obscure doctor Ignaz Semmelweis. The book felt like a white paper for a leadership consulting firm. Maybe that is Arbinger's intent, or maybe that's my self-betrayal.

That's not to say that there aren't helpful tips in the book. Like all material of this ilk, there is plenty we can apply to ourselves. In Leadership, the authors make the case that spend our time in boxes, where we rationalize our behavior and blame others. Coming out of these boxes must be like a self-actualizing experience.

I wouldn't be honest if I recommended the book. Certainly the lessons, taken with a grain of salt, could be very helpful. Myself, I will take away some of the concepts and I will be more conscious of delusions. In the end, maybe it will make me a better leader and person after all.