Books on leadership are sources of essential information and knowledge about the best techniques which individuals can employ to be more effective in their work or life. Usually, such books focus on practices that allow a person to exert greater influence over others, and rarely do they teach their readers how to better understand themselves. Leadership and Self-Deception by Arbinger Institute is an exception to this general rule since it provides an invaluable insight into the importance for every leader to stay aware of their behavior. The book demonstrates how people can easily imagine being the most virtuous and hardworking, not paying attention to the fact that others contribute equally to their common cause. By avoiding concentrating on what others do wrongly and analyzing their actions, people can leave the vicious circle of self-deception. This book is perfect for understanding the role of self-awareness in leadership and the potentially harmful effects of not acknowledging one’s negative characteristics.
One of the main ideas of the book is self-betrayal, which implies discarding every person’s initial urge to do what is right for others. This concept reflects one of the main ideas discussed throughout this course that a true leader has to serve as an example for their subordinates or colleagues. A person who avoids helping people around them can hardly be expected to take on a new responsibility at a critical moment and guide their team through a challenging period. I implemented this idea into my approach to working with people on a common project, and it significantly increased our productivity and prevented certain conflicts. After completing my part of the work, I was asked by one of the team members to assist them in doing their segment, which eventually turned out to be more difficult than mine. Reminding myself of the importance of avoiding self-betrayal, I was happy to accept their offer, which helped us finish the project faster and improved our relations with the team.
When a person seeks justification for their self-betrayal, they ultimately place themselves in a box of self-deception, which shapes their perception of others and obscures their self-awareness (Arbinger Institute 31). Leaders who put themselves into a box do not see the perspectives of others and choose to lie to themselves that the problem in their organization is their subordinates. Such a behavior can be considered toxic, authoritarian, and even abusive, and, according to studies, there is a negative correlation between this leadership style and workplace stress (Zagross and Zarei 87). A leader who intentionally chooses to be close-minded consequently disrupts their colleagues’ productivity since they become prohibited from implementing their ideas. I had an experience with a manager who could be considered self-deceiving because he always blamed others for not working hard enough while usually leaving the job earlier than anyone else. Such a leader’s type of conduct is discouraging and harmful to the atmosphere in the team, which undermines the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations.
The book’s main idea is that the key to getting out of the box of self-deception is seeing others not as objects but as people with their needs and hopes (Arbinger Institute 167). By being honest with oneself, a leader can realize that all the shortcomings they observe in others are characteristic of them too. This message is close to the concept of authentic leadership, which postulates that greater self-awareness and relational transparency are essential to ensuring development and a positive climate in the workplace (Crawford 116). Moreover, to abandon their box, a leader has to learn to accept those people who are still in their boxes. Thus, the focus of such a leader has to be shifted from observing behaviors of others to self-analyzing and challenging their virtues.
Leadership and Self-Deception by Arbinger Institute provides a reliable framework for every person who aspires to become a better leader by recognizing their flaws first. The book demonstrates how a person, by avoiding questioning their decisions and behavior and justifying it by blaming others, can cause their employees to perceive them as authoritarian. A leader who betrays their natural urge to help others end up placing themselves in a box which blocks their ability to be reasonable and understanding of their colleagues. One of the main responsibilities of every leader is to pay attention to their conduct and realize when they start to deceive themselves since it distorts their perception of the world. By recognizing others as people and not as objects, a leader can exit their box and start.
Works Cited
Arbinger Institute. Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2010.
Crawford, Joseph A., et al. “Putting the Leader Back Into Authentic Leadership: Reconceptualising and Rethinking Leaders.” Australian Journal of Management, vol. 45, no. 1, 2019, pp. 114–133. Web.
Hadadian, Zagross, and Jamileh Zarei. “Relationship between Toxic Leadership and Job Stress of Knowledge Workers.” Studies in Business and Economics, vol. 11, no. 3, 2016, 84–89. Web.