Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box

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Our lives only improve when we are willing to take chances and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.” -Walter Anderson People justify their hatred and awfulness by deceiving themselves into thinking that everybody else is just an object without feelings. What’s worse, this problem isn’t just limited to politics. We can see it in the workplace, in families, and all throughout society. Balcetis, Emily (January 2008). "Where the Motivation Resides and Self-Deception Hides: How Motivated Cognition Accomplishes Self-Deception". Social and Personality Psychology Compass. 2 (1): 361–381. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00042.x. ISSN 1751-9004. a b c Barkow, Tooby, & Cosmides. (1995). The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture.

Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute

This book is written as a parable, set in the Zagrum Company. The parable starts with Tom Callum, one of Zagrum’s new senior managers/ division heads, being invited for a day-long, one-on-one self-deception meeting with his new boss, Bud Jefferson. Such meetings are a tradition at Zagrum – they’re such a crucial part of Zagrum’s success that the top management invests personal time to inculcate the ideas in every senior management staff who joins Zagrum. So how do you stop it? You’ll find out next! Lesson 3: I f you want to eliminate self-deception and reach your full potential, c ommit to always act on the instinct to help other people in need. Offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides employees with confidential counseling, resources and referral services.Think about it,’ Lou replied. ‘As I sat there regretting how I’d acted toward my wife, my son, and my coworkers, what were they to me? In that moment, was I seeing them as people or as objects?’ Good leaders create a positive culture within their team by promoting a sense of teamwork and mutual respect among team members. Self-awareness allows individuals to understand better their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, which can help them make more informed choices and decisions. Gadsby, Stephen, (2021), "Imposter Syndrome and Self-Deception", Australasian Journal of Philosophy. doi: 10.1080/00048402.2021.1874445

Self-Deceptions Leaders Often Tell Themselves - Forbes 12 Common Self-Deceptions Leaders Often Tell Themselves - Forbes

Self-aware leaders create a positive and inclusive work environment by understanding and valuing the diversity of the people they lead.

How Self-Deception Affects Our Leadership

This self-deceptive state closes their eyes to the reality of situations, impairs their decision-making abilities, and hinders their capacity to foster positive and productive relationships treating people. The journey of leadership and personal growth often involves: Collusion. When we’re in the box, we focus on blame and justifications, which trigger others to also get into their boxes; A downward spiral begins and we basically collude to stay in our respective boxes. All people want to be treated with respect and dignity by others. This idea is so fundamental that it is even manifested in our constitutions, laws and philosophies. But when it comes to everyday life, many of us forget this ideal.

Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box

Second, self-betrayal turns into self-justification. When you betray yourself, you seek to justify your action by distorting the situation and the people involved. This leads to inflating your own virtue and seeing the other people involved as objects. Your thoughts and feelings shift to attempt to justify your failure by inflating others’ faults.

Five Signs of Self-Deception

But the reality is, your thinking patterns are just as flawed, if not more so. And your spouse’s desires are just as valid as yours. Influential leaders dedicate time and resources to fostering their team members' professional growth to pave the way for future generations of leaders to emerge from their ranks. They give members of the team challenging assignments and initiatives that assist them in enhancing their leadership skills, as well as opportunities for training and professional growth. In addition, they act as a mentor and guide for the team members, allowing them to experiment and learn from their errors. Encourage employees to take time off when needed and to prioritize self-care. You can offer flexible work arrangements, such as remote work, or promote mental health days. With all these costs associated with self-deception, it begs the question of why it exists at all. It turns out that there are some benefits of self-deception—in the right circumstances and amount. For example, according to some researchers, self-deception may: