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The Leader on the Couch
Book

The Leader on the Couch

A Clinical Approach to Changing People & Organisations

Jossey-Bass, 2006 more...


Editorial Rating

6

Qualities

  • Overview

Recommendation

When Manfred Kets de Vries uses stories – from his own experience, history or Zen parables – to show how you can use psychology to understand the workplace, his points are clear and seem immediately applicable. Admittedly, his discussion of the theories that frame and guide his work vary from instructive to somewhat obscure, and his classifications of personality and organizational types may seem arbitrary, but when he explains the processes involved in change, he is realistic and humane. Philosophically or psychologically inclined readers may really want a more thorough explanation of de Vries' concepts, such as how unconscious structures interact with cultural ones. Those who take a less theoretical approach may not be as intrigued. getAbstract thinks that readers who exert some conscious patience will find the author's core points about the role of the unconscious in the business world insightful and useful.

Take-Aways

  • Unconscious forces drive the actions of both organizations and the people within them.
  • Strengthen your organization, and improve its function and interpersonal dynamics by learning to understand these forces.
  • You can’t change people or organizations unless you address the unconscious forces that motivate them.

About the Author

Manfred Kets de Vries is director of a global leadership center. He has published more than 20 books and 200 articles.


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