Enhancing Leadership & Relationships Workshop

(inspired by insights from the book, "Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box" by The Arbinger Institute)

Read time: 5 minutes

Imagine you're wearing a pair of glasses with tinted lenses that distort the colours of everything around you.

The glasses make everything look slightly different than it is — colours are off, and the world doesn’t look quite right.

The problem is you've been wearing these glasses for so long you don’t realise they affect how you see things.

You start thinking, "Why is everything so dull and off-colour?"

But in reality, it's the glasses distorting your view.

Once you take them off, you see the world for what it truly is.

In this analogy:

In essence, self-deception is like wearing tinted glasses that alter how you perceive everything and everyone around you, making it harder to see the true nature of your relationships and situations.

Recognising this and "removing the glasses" allows you to interact with others more openly and honestly.

About "Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box”

The book's core idea is that people often deceive themselves into thinking others cause their problems while they themselves are blameless.

This is referred to as being "in the box."

When individuals are "in the box," they view others as objects or obstacles rather than people with their own needs, desires, and challenges.

This leads to distorted thinking and behaviour that exacerbates conflicts and problems.

Getting "out of the box" means seeing others as they truly are - human beings with needs, feelings, and challenges similar to yours.

This perspective shift helps resolve conflicts and build more effective and empathetic relationships.

Leaders who see others as people rather than objects create more positive and productive environments.

This leads to better collaboration, increased trust, and improved outcomes.

Workshop Title: Getting Out of the Box: Enhancing Leadership, Relationships & Personal Effectiveness

Here’s a simple 3-step workshop based on the insights from "Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box" by The Arbinger Institute.

This 3-hour workshop is designed to help participants recognise and overcome self-deception, improve their relationships, and become more effective leaders.

Step 1: Introduction to Self-Deception and the Box (45 minutes)

Objective:

Activity: Group Discussion and Case Study

Outcome:

Step 2: Self-Reflection and Identifying "In the Box" Behaviour (60 minutes)

Objective:

Activity: Personal Reflection and Sharing

Outcome:

Step 3: Practical Strategies for Getting Out of the Box (60 minutes)

Objective:

Activity: Action Planning and Role-Playing

Outcome:

Workshop Conclusion (15 minutes)

Conclusion & Summary

This workshop will help participants better understand the dynamics of self-deception, learn to recognise it in themselves, and apply strategies to improve their leadership and relationships.

Getting out of the box is not a one-time event but an ongoing process.

It requires continuous effort to maintain self-awareness and see others as people rather than objects.

If you want the unbranded slides, handouts and action plan template for this workshop, you can get them in my Tools & Activities Library.

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See you next week.