The Leader on the Couch: A Clinical Approach to Changing People and Organizations

Quite dull but worth reading

This book is a nice compliment to an earlier book by Manfred Kets de Vries, Leaders, Fools and Imposters. It is easy to read, accessible and provides managers and executives important content that should promote self, other and organizational insights. Part One has as its focus leadership pathologies. In particular narcissistic leaders as well as other types such a dramatic, controlling, dependent and self-defeating are described and explained in terms of the workplace problems they generate. Borrowing from Karen Horney, leadership is also examined from the perspectives of moving away and against others. This section is very helpful to anyone trying to better understand life at work that is irrational and at times punishing. Part Two explores ways to change these leadership dynamics including a description of the author's extensive seminar for senior executives aimed at promoting reflective leadership. In particular the chapter on executive coaching reveals the many sobering challenges involved in providing this service and well worth reading. Anyone offering or contemplating providing executive coaching can benefit from reading this chapter including executives who coach others. Part Three describes unconscious group and organizational dynamics that are under appreciated and many times undiscussable without external facilitation. The book concludes with the hope that authentic organizations and leaders can be nurtured into existence. Many elements of an optimal organizational culture are described and are worth noting. They are aspirational in nature. Unfortunately one might wonder if these are attributes are truly realizable in any meaningful way.

A must read for everyone working in an organization and even more so if you're leading it. However, in my opinion it requires some personal interest from the reader in psychological functioning (which is anyway necessary if you want to develop further as a person). I found it very helpful to have read before "Character Styles" by Stephen M. Johnson , because this author describes a model which captures the complexity of the human personality and explains also the formative development stages through childhood. In this way one sees clearly that the theories on which Manfred Kets de Vries builds his clinical approach are sound and well underpinned. The book is well structured, well written and pointedly illustrated with real life examples. The author not only offers a clinical analysis of organizations and their leaders but also a clinical approach towards change. In fact, to change an organization , you have to change the people, starting at the very top.

I thought I would use this more than I did, but I enjoyed reading it, it has some interesting qotes

Love Kets de Vries work, found it very useful and insightful as always.