The Leader on the Couch: A Clinical Approach to Changing People & Organisations
Why I recommend it
Kets de Vries looks at the personal histories and unspoken fears people bring into leadership. Those patterns can affect a whole organization.
What it changed in my thinking
A leader can repeat an old pattern at work without realizing it. Understanding the person can help explain behavior that an org chart doesn’t.
Who it’s useful for
Executive coaches and leaders interested in the emotional side of work.
A tension or limitation
It’s easy to overinterpret someone’s behavior. Treat an explanation as a possibility, and keep the workplace conditions in view too.