Unlocking leadership mindtraps : how to thrive in complexity / Jennifer Garvey Berger.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The five quirks and how they become traps -- Trapped by simple stories : your desire for a simple story blinds you to a real one -- Trapped by rightness : just because it feels right, doesn't mean it is right -- Trapped by agreement : longing for alignment robs you of good ideas -- Trapped by control : trying to take charge strips you of influence -- Trapped by ego : shackled to who you are now, you can't reach for who you'll be next -- Building a ladder to escape the mindtraps.

Author and consultant Jennifer Garvey Berger has worked with all types of leaders--from top executives at Google to nonprofit directors who are trying to make a dent in social change. She hears a version of the same plea from every client in nearly every sector around the world: "I know that complexity and uncertainty are testing my instincts, but I don't know which to trust. Is there some way to know what to do when I can't know what's next?" Her newest work is an answer to this plea. Using her background in adult development, complexity theories, and leadership consultancy, Garvey Berger discerns five pernicious and pervasive "mind traps" to frame the book. These are: the desire for simple stories, our sense that we are right, our desire to get along with others in our group, our fixation with control, and our constant quest to protect and defend our egos. In addition to understanding why these natural impulses steer us wrong in a fast-moving world, leaders will get powerful questions and approaches that help them escape these patterns.