{"id":99409,"date":"2023-04-16T12:44:27","date_gmt":"2023-04-16T16:44:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=99409"},"modified":"2023-04-16T12:45:05","modified_gmt":"2023-04-16T16:45:05","slug":"leadership-and-self-deception-study-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/leadership-and-self-deception-study-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Leadership and Self-Deception: Study Guide & Implementation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you and your teammates speak freely? Do people in your organization take the blame when it’s due, or do they point the finger elsewhere?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-deception\u2014our tendency to see the world around us in a distorted way\u2014is a common personal and organizational problem<\/a>. Leadership and Self-Deception<\/em> by the Arbinger Institute<\/a> explains how self-deception derails our relationships and keeps organizations from achieving the results they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading for our Leadership and Self-Deception<\/em> study guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Leadership and Self-Deception<\/em> Study Guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instead of focusing on producing results, many leaders are trapped \u201cin the box\u201d of distorted thinking\u2014they blame others to justify their own failures. They create the \u201cpeople\u201d problems that plague most organizations. Through the fictional story of a new executive joining an unusual company, this book tells leaders how to get \u201cout of the box\u201d\u2014but you don’t have to be a leader<\/a> to apply the principles to your life and workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Leadership and Self-Deception<\/em> study guide includes five exercises for individuals to work through the book’s principles as well as an implementation guide to help you apply the principles to your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise #1: Recognizing Self-Deception<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re in a state of self-deception when you don\u2019t realize or accept that you\u2019re creating a problem because you have a distorted view<\/a> of reality. You blame others in order to rationalize or justify your failures. (You\u2019re deceiving yourself about your behavior and motivations.) The book refers to this deluded state as being trapped \u201cin the box.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Think of a problem at work in which you were involved. How did the problem develop?<\/li>
  2. What was your role in the problem?<\/li>
  3. Looking at your answer to the above question, would you say that you\u2019re \u201cin the box\u201d (your thinking is skewed toward blaming others and rationalizing your role) or \u201cout of the box\u201d (you clearly see what you could have done better)?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Exercise #2: What\u2019s Your True Message?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Regardless of what management technique you use, people pick up on and respond to the feelings behind your actions (your feelings toward them). If you convey insincerity or disrespect, they\u2019ll resist or respond in ways that make matters worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Think of a time when someone asked for your opinion on something, and you sugar-coated your response because you didn\u2019t want to offend them. Did they pick up on your true feelings? How do you know this?<\/li>
    2. How could you have conveyed your true feelings honestly, without offending them?<\/li>
    3. Think of a situation at work where you\u2019ve held back until now from saying what you think. How can you convey your views in a constructive way?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Exercise #3: Are You \u2018In the Box\u2019?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      When you\u2019re in the box, you see only your own interests and have a distorted view of others\u2014you see them as objects or as problems standing in your way. In contrast, when you\u2019re out of the box, you see people as being human like you and having equally legitimate interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Think of an incident recently where you were \u201cin the box\u201d and treated someone (for instance, a family member or a store clerk) as an obstacle or problem. What was the incident?<\/li>
      2. What did you say or do? How did you feel afterward?<\/li>
      3. How do you think the other person viewed the incident? If you had considered that person\u2019s view, how would you have handled the situation differently?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Exercise #4: Experiencing Self-Betrayal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        You betray yourself<\/a> when you don\u2019t do something you feel you should do\u2014for instance, not apologizing when you know you should. Once you\u2019ve betrayed yourself, you feel guilty and try to justify it\u2014for instance, by exaggerating other people’s faults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Think of a situation at work or at home where you thought of something you should do, but you didn\u2019t do it. How did you feel immediately after choosing not to act?<\/li>
        2. What rationale or justification did you come up with to make yourself feel better for not doing it?\u00a0<\/li>
        3. If you had done what you felt you should at the outset, how would you have viewed the situation differently?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          Exercise #5: Losing Focus at Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          In many organizations, instead of focusing on results<\/a>, people and departments are \u201cin the box,\u201d blaming and working against each other. This undermines the company\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          1. To what extent does the above description fit your company?\u00a0<\/li>
          2. Who are you<\/a> \u201cin the box\u201d toward at work (who do you feel is a problem or obstacle)? How do you treat them?<\/li>
          3. How does the way you treat them affect how they treat you? Are you both causing a vicious cycle?<\/li>
          4. How would treating them as a person with legitimate needs and interests affect how they treat you in return?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            Implementation Guide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            The ideas in this book can help organizations succeed and improve personal satisfaction and relationships. The following are areas where you can apply the concepts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n