LEADERSHIP AND SELF-DECEPTION PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

SURVEY

1. My manager’s own goals have been clearly laid out for me:
Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Explicitly and thoroughly

2. My co-workers’ objectives hinder my objectives:
Frequently 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Never

3. My manager’s conception of my objectives seems:
Very fuzzy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Crystal Clear

4. In my most difficult lateral relationship, the other person seems to understand what I am

trying to achieve:
Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Very Clearly

5. As a teacher/mentor, my manager is:
Ineffective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Effective

6. My co-workers’ goals have been clearly laid out for me:
Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Very clearly

7. When it comes to the realities of working at my level, my managers seems to be:
Oblivious and confused 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Concerned and knowledgeable

8. My co-workers share helpful information with me:
Seldom 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 All the time

9. When my manager makes an error in work we’re doing together, he/she tends to:
Shift responsibility to me 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Take responsibility

10. When my co-workers are trying to solve problems between us, they generally:
Ignore my opinion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Value my opinion

11. When I make a mistake, my manager _______________eager to blame me.
Seems 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Doesn’t seem

12. When it comes to process breakdowns between us, my co-workers tend to ____ the problem.
See me as 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 See their contribution to

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 LEADERSHIP AND SELF-DECEPTION PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

CALCULATE YOUR SCORE

After the participants have completed their surveys, have them compile their scores below. Have
them record the sum of their answers for questions 1-4 in the box next to “A”. Have them record
the sum of their answers for questions 5-8 in the box next to “B”. Have them record the sum of
their answers for questions 9-12 in the box next to “C”.

Add together your answers for questions 1-4 and record the score below:

A=

Add together your answers for questions 5-8 and record the score below:

B=

Add together your answers for questions 9-12 and record the score below:

C=

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 LEADERSHIP AND SELF-DECEPTION PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

THE VIDEO AS METAPHOR: FIVE KEY CONCEPTS

How does the Semmelweis story relate to organizations? Below are five concepts drawn from the
story. How do they correlate to what happens in organizations?

1. SEMMELWEIS: Physicians in Semmelweis’s time did not understand the nature of disease.Their single
approach was to treat the symptoms of childbed fever — attempting one treatment for this symp-
tom, another treatment for that symptom.
ORGANIZATIONS:

2. SEMMELWEIS:Tragically, the Viennese physicians couldn’t see how they were part of the problem.
They could not see how they carried germs to their patients.
ORGANIZATIONS:

3. SEMMELWEIS:The physicians were unwilling to consider themselves the carriers of the disease.Their
egos and their refusal to consider any non-traditional possibility prevented them from seeing that
they were responsible for childbed fever.
ORGANIZATIONS:

4. SEMMELWEIS: Ultimately Semmelweis found a successful solution only by considering the

unthinkable — that he himself was responsible for carrying disease to his patients.
ORGANIZATIONS:

5. SEMMELWEIS: Semmelweis discovered he could prevent the disease by effectively washing his own
hands.That discovery had monumental consequences.
ORGANIZATIONS

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 LEADERSHIP AND SELF-DECEPTION PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

ACTION PLAN
Before you return to work, take some time to think about what we’ve discussed today. It is
important that you go beyond passive listening and instead, work at applying the concepts to your
worksite and your particular challenges. Complete the items below.When you are done, you
might want to share one or two items with the rest of the group.

1. What is one problem you frequently complain about?

2. Before today, how did you interpret the cause of the problem? How have you blamed others?
How have you acted and felt towards them?

3. In what ways have you dealt with this problem? Are there things you should have done, but didn’t?
Are there things you shouldn’t have done, but did? What is the deep truth about your conduct?

4. List three people you have affected negatively by your behavior towards this problem.

5. Can you describe how both you and the other person blame each other for the problem?

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 LEADERSHIP AND SELF-DECEPTION PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

6. Focus on one of the three people you listed above.What could you do to help that person?
What kind of help would they appreciate?

Whatever you identified above, go do it. Do it immediately if at all possible. If it can’t be done
immediately, do it as soon as you are able. Identify below exactly what you will do.

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REVIEW
Fill in the blanks below with one of the words to the right.

1. People problems that affect organizations today are really WASHING

.

2. More important than our behavior towards others is our SYMPTOMS

fundamental toward them.

3. When we are self-deceived, we think all

SELF-DECEPTION
are caused by someone or something else.

4. Quitting self-deception is like our

own hands in the Semmelweis story. ME

5. Considering how we are for

problems is critical for successful problem solving. PROBLEMS

6. is the inability to recognize oneself

as part of the problem. RESPONSIBLE

7. Despite its destructiveness, self-deception is very difficult for

each of us to see in .
OURSELVES

8. The most important point of self-deception is that the

solution to the underlying problem always begins
ATTITUDE
with .

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