Leadership and Self Deception - Review

Leadership and Self Deception: Getting out of the Box, by the Arbringer Institute.

This book reads like one of the fables from Lencioni or Jon Gordon.  Easy to read and with a plot line for those who have trouble following more traditional models of leadership books.

I liked the metaphor of the "box" in this book. The "box" equates to being self-deceived.  The authors, through the use of the story, explain that we are either in the box or out of it in all of our relationships.  Being in the box means being self-deceived and is a narrow focus upon our own personal goals and desires to the exclusion of even considering the feelings of anyone else.  Being in the box is an unconscious casting ourselves as the hero and anyone who thwarts our personal satisfaction as the villain, albeit of various levels of villainy.   An obvious example is our perspective when we are driving toward others on the road.  If they don't impact our own progress, we largely ignore them, however, if they impede us in any way we may respond with some level of anger at their poor driving, even if the problem has nothing to do with them or may even be our own fault.  Being in the box can apply to any of our relationships, including our marriages as well as work relationships.

The authors also touch on what it means to get out of the box and how to begin developing an others focused mindset which will release greater power and effectiveness in all the aspects of our life.  To me this seemed like an effort to try to live by Christian values and perspective, without any mention of, or without the power of, a relationship with Jesus.

With all that being said, I am not recommending this book.  I found the whole thing doing exactly what it said it was not doing, i.e. designing a way to manipulate others to achieve success.   While I believe the metaphor is useful and I did learn some things, I believe understanding John and Paul's writings in the New Testament actually address these same concepts.  Also John Maxwell's Ethics 101 is a great book which sets an ethical foundation squarely on the golden rule is a much better look at how to live in relationship with those around us.