Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box

By: The Arbinger Institute

Narrated by: Steve Carlson

Length: 6 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

This third edition of an international best-seller - more than two million copies sold worldwide and translated into 33 languages - details how its powerful insights on motivation, conflict, and collaboration can benefit organizations as well as individuals.   

Since its original publication in 2000, Leadership and Self-Deception has become an international word-of-mouth phenomenon. Rather than tapering off, it sells more copies every year. The guide's central insight - that the key to leadership lies not in what we do, but in who we are - has proven to have powerful implications not only for organizational leadership but in listeners’ personal lives as well.   

Leadership and Self-Deception uses an entertaining story everyone can relate to about a man facing challenges at work and at home to expose the fascinating ways we blind ourselves to our true motivations and unwittingly sabotage the effectiveness of our own efforts to achieve happiness and increase happiness. We trap ourselves in a “box” of endless self-justification.  

Most importantly, the audiobook shows us the way out. Listeners will discover what millions already have learned - how to consistently tap into and act on their innate sense of what’s right, dramatically improving all of their relationships.  

This third edition includes new research about the self-deception gap in organizations and the keys to closing this gap. The authors offer guidance for how to assess the in-the-box and out-of-the-box mind-sets in yourself and in your organization. It also includes a sample of Arbinger’s latest best-seller, The Outward Mindset.

©2018 Arbinger Properties, LLC (P)2018 Arbinger Properties, LLC

You NEED this book. We ALL do!

It's hard to write this review without what must seem like hyperbole. I'm reluctant to be as effusive as I want because I dont want it to be disregarded.

I know not everyone will be ready to hear the message, but if you are....WOW.

Get ready for your worldview to be turned inside out. This doesn't change paradigms, it shifts your entire mode of interacting with the world.

I cant exaggerate the impact. This book, assimilated, is comparable to hundreds of hours of meditation in terms of the gravity of impact.

It might be (along with "Bonds That Make Us Free") the most transformational book out of the hundreds I've read.

This book is the answer to most of your personal and all your interpersonal problems. When you get it...when you see it...you are like the man who, frantically looking for his glasses, realizes he's wearing them.

You are looking through, of even WITH, the thing you're looking for.

This should be taught to the whole human race. I believe that.

Do your self, and your loved ones, a favor and just buy and consume the book. It could be one of the best decisions of your life. I mean it.

Biggest waste of time in my life

Let me save you the time suck of this book. Take ownership of your work and home life. Don’t blame anyone but yourself if you want to have an easier time in life. There, saved you 6 hours.

Life changing!

Really enjoyed this and look forward to rereading and learning more. These concepts are so simple and yet so hard at the same time.

Reader was good, book stinks

Narrator did a good job, but the content is better suited for the brevity of an article in Forbes or something. I don't need a thin plot with an unbelievably oblivious protagonist in a constant state of bewildered awe at the power of ideas as arcane and complex as self-criticism and social imagination. There's a kernel of truth in a number of sections, especially with regard to large organizations, but the medium delivering it made for an evenly mundane and laughable thing taken together.

Everyone should read this book!

I truly hope to apply the principles explained in this book to my personal and professional lives. It's such an eye-opener! Whether you're a leader in an organization or a leader of a family, this book applies to YOU!

Because this story is a work of nonfiction based on the stories of many, the dialogue is a little forced sometimes (and a little cheesy, to be honest), but it doesn't take away from the importance of the content.

I look forward to reading more books from The Arbinger Institute.

It has the ability to be Leadership Changing.

This book makes it easy to identify with the main character in the story and see how leaders should be better. It makes obvious cases that show how wrong so many people are when dealing with others. Our home, our business, and our communities could be so much better if everyone would read and apply what is taught in this book...

And there it is, the outward looking, face of self deception. If you are reading this book to change others it will not have a happy ending. If you read this book ready to discover that you are hiding in a box, deceived and blaming others for you lack of true leadership, then this book will change your life.

Life changing for the Leader you have within.

This book is amazing and has helped my family be better

I have seen some reviews where people just trash this book. They think they can just sum up the book in a couple of sentences. Really, this book goes in detail on how you can make yourself a better person. Obviously don’t blame other people for your problems but don’t take it to a degree where it’s unhealthy. There are problems caused by other people but this book teaches you not to treat them badly. It also teaches you how you can be a better leader. I say better leader with confidence because that’s what it’s done for me. I own my problems but I still blame others for some of the problems I have. This book helps me to do that less. I highly suggest this book. I think everyone should read it.

Condescending, sexist.

Treat people like people and not like objects! Wow. Also can we get some female characters that aren’t “just” wives and secretaries?

Condescending

The themes are positive, but it's hard to get past just how condescending the story and performance are.

Thank you for writing this book

Servant leader ship is so very integral to any successful organization. As a sales coach and leadership coach, I have read a lot of leadership books. I am going to be recommending this book to my team and our coaching clients because the story helps people to be better able to picture exactly how they can immediately implement this into their lives.

transformational

This book resonated with me so strongly that I had to discuss it with everyone I know.

Amazing

Love the format, easy to consume, simple lesson yet extremely valuable for all areas of life, a real gem!

Great lesson to be learned

story goes on and on a bit, but the message is clear. interesting read and great for leaders

Box

Half the book talks about in the box and out of the box. Box this, box that. Great concepts but a bit too much, I’m tired of hearing the word box now!