Comments on: Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html Sun, 25 Apr 2010 09:54:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kent Purdy http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-6 Kent Purdy Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:08:46 +0000 http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-6 I rarely take the time to write reviews. I'm taking the time to write one for Leadership and Self-Deception because it was such a poor book. The content in this book could have been contained in a pamphlet. <p>The author takes a story line approach that's excessively long and becomes tiresome. The illustrations should be shortened significantly. There are only a handful of concepts covered; the rest is fluff and a waste of space (and my time). I would have much preferred a book detailing concepts backed by concise illustrations and supporting examples. Rather then using bloated anecdotes, I would have appreciated a more engaging and intellectually stimulating approach. I can't imagine Stephen Covey, who endorsed the book, reading every page cover to cover. There's just not enough content to warrant it.<p>If you have access to this book free of cost, it's worth a skim. Otherwise, I recommend looking elsewhere. Rating: 1 / 5 I rarely take the time to write reviews. I’m taking the time to write one for Leadership and Self-Deception because it was such a poor book. The content in this book could have been contained in a pamphlet.

The author takes a story line approach that’s excessively long and becomes tiresome. The illustrations should be shortened significantly. There are only a handful of concepts covered; the rest is fluff and a waste of space (and my time). I would have much preferred a book detailing concepts backed by concise illustrations and supporting examples. Rather then using bloated anecdotes, I would have appreciated a more engaging and intellectually stimulating approach. I can’t imagine Stephen Covey, who endorsed the book, reading every page cover to cover. There’s just not enough content to warrant it.

If you have access to this book free of cost, it’s worth a skim. Otherwise, I recommend looking elsewhere.
Rating: 1 / 5

]]> By: B. Godfrey http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-5 B. Godfrey Sat, 17 Apr 2010 02:49:56 +0000 http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-5 This book is not really about leadership. It is about being nice to people. And remember, any problem you have with another person in life is your fault. So, apologize, start over, and be nice. Rating: 1 / 5 This book is not really about leadership. It is about being nice to people. And remember, any problem you have with another person in life is your fault. So, apologize, start over, and be nice.
Rating: 1 / 5

]]> By: Christopher Davis http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-4 Christopher Davis Sat, 17 Apr 2010 01:27:32 +0000 http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-4 I am not a big fan of business books using the fable/parable approach to begin with, but this was unreadable. The concept of self-deception is a powerful one, but for me, this book is not a tool that I find of value. However, if you really, really like business fables, you might enjoy this as much as some of the other reviewers. Rating: 1 / 5 I am not a big fan of business books using the fable/parable approach to begin with, but this was unreadable. The concept of self-deception is a powerful one, but for me, this book is not a tool that I find of value. However, if you really, really like business fables, you might enjoy this as much as some of the other reviewers.
Rating: 1 / 5

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-3 Anonymous Sat, 17 Apr 2010 01:09:24 +0000 http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-3 My boss bought a number of copies of this book to distribute among management, and I found the ideas it espoused quite helpful, although the sixth-grade reading level it's written at can be a bit trying at times. The idea that perceiving those you deal with in your daily life as people rather than objects can help you to be more effective is very valid.<p>Dr. C. Terry Warner, founder of the Arbinger Institute, as well as the Institute itself, are closely linked with BYU and the Mormon community, and when I discovered this after reading the book, it put something of a bad taste in my mouth; I wondered if this was a bonafide business book or simply soft-sell PR for the LDS groups. Simply substitute "in the box" and "out of the box" for "saved" and "sinner" and you have an entirely different book.<p>Since the book espouses approaches that aren't tied to any specific religion, and since the points it makes are very valid, I'd recommend taking a peek despite the BYU / LDS link. Rating: 3 / 5 My boss bought a number of copies of this book to distribute among management, and I found the ideas it espoused quite helpful, although the sixth-grade reading level it’s written at can be a bit trying at times. The idea that perceiving those you deal with in your daily life as people rather than objects can help you to be more effective is very valid.

Dr. C. Terry Warner, founder of the Arbinger Institute, as well as the Institute itself, are closely linked with BYU and the Mormon community, and when I discovered this after reading the book, it put something of a bad taste in my mouth; I wondered if this was a bonafide business book or simply soft-sell PR for the LDS groups. Simply substitute “in the box” and “out of the box” for “saved” and “sinner” and you have an entirely different book.

Since the book espouses approaches that aren’t tied to any specific religion, and since the points it makes are very valid, I’d recommend taking a peek despite the BYU / LDS link.
Rating: 3 / 5

]]> By: Jet21x http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-2 Jet21x Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:57:06 +0000 http://www.pandin.org/5-leadership-and-self-deception-getting-out-of-the-box.html#comment-2 After reading the book or should I say listening and reading, I can not stand it for many reasons. One there is a effort not to say what the real problem is, they just rename it and sell it off as something profound. The problem is not "self-deception"the new name, it's selfishness, self-centered, proud, and prideful. I learned about all these while at church, when I started reading the book and the listening, I became irradiated and upset because I thought I was going to hear something profound and new, far from it and that's what made me upset someone was selling something that had been around for centuries. The Arginger Institute should at least tell people that they just rewrote the concept of how to be a good person, respect yourself and treat others the way you want to be treated. Give me a break Arbinger get out of the box and look around you, you are not the only ones out there who can come up with a factious story and apply be good to your neighbor family and friends concepts. The names have been changed, the concept has been around since the beginning of time and I learned these as a child from my parents and leaders, no daycare for me, just a good Mom and a swat on the pants. And one other things there are to many assumptions and drawn conclusions from unknown facts, facts that may not be true, and there are no foot notes. Rating: 2 / 5 After reading the book or should I say listening and reading, I can not stand it for many reasons. One there is a effort not to say what the real problem is, they just rename it and sell it off as something profound. The problem is not “self-deception”the new name, it’s selfishness, self-centered, proud, and prideful. I learned about all these while at church, when I started reading the book and the listening, I became irradiated and upset because I thought I was going to hear something profound and new, far from it and that’s what made me upset someone was selling something that had been around for centuries. The Arginger Institute should at least tell people that they just rewrote the concept of how to be a good person, respect yourself and treat others the way you want to be treated. Give me a break Arbinger get out of the box and look around you, you are not the only ones out there who can come up with a factious story and apply be good to your neighbor family and friends concepts. The names have been changed, the concept has been around since the beginning of time and I learned these as a child from my parents and leaders, no daycare for me, just a good Mom and a swat on the pants. And one other things there are to many assumptions and drawn conclusions from unknown facts, facts that may not be true, and there are no foot notes.
Rating: 2 / 5

]]>