Ready, Steady, Manage: Book Review: Leadership and Self-deception

I normally hate business books written in a fictional fable storytelling style. But for some reason I managed to read and enjoy this one - with one or two minor annoyances which we can cover later.

The book suggests that sometimes we cause our own problems, or at least make problem situations worse through our own attitudes and behaviours. We do this when we fail to view other people as people - instead viewing them as object, and view their needs and desires as less important than our own.

( amazon.co.uk | amazon.com )

The self-deception comes in when we refuse to see ourselves as part of the problem.

A particularly good summary over on ZeroMillion.com http://www.zeromillion.com/business/deception.html

The summary points presented in the book itself don't convey the journey like spirit of the book, and make the book's message seem all very simple and obvious.

Self Betrayal (quoted from the book):

An act contrary to what I feel I should do for another is called an act of Self-Betrayal.

When I betray myself, I begin to see the world in a way that justifies my Self-Betrayal.

When I see a self-justifying world, my view of reality becomes distorted.

So - when I betray myself I enter the box.

Over time, certain boxes become characteristic of me, and I carry them with me.

By being in the box, I provoke others to be in the box.

In the box, we invite mutual mistreatment and obtain mutual justification. We collude in giving each other the reason to stay in the box.

Conclusions:

Self betrayal leads to self-deception

Focus on results and not on your needs

Learn and teach

Hold yourself accountable

Find solutions

Earn Trust

"Don't try to be perfect. Do try to be better."

Apologise and in the future do better.

"Don’t focus on what people others are doing wrong. Do focus on what you can do right to help."

"Don’t worry whether others are helping you. Do worry whether you are helping others. "

Minor Annoyances:

No bibliography or follow on reading - despite a supposed basis in academic research.

The protagonist doesn't get it quite as fast as the reader so the book dragged a bit in places, but at only 170 pages it does not drag for long.

I class these as minor annoyances. The book seems to have done a lot of good for many of its readers and I found it an enjoyably simple book and a useful reminder that when work gets tough, others probably experience it that way as well.

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