Introduction
Part I: Why we Act Against our own Stated Interests
1: How we Deal with Difficult Situations
2: Actions that Trap us
3: Causes of Traps
Part II: How Conventional Approaches Bypass Traps - and What to do
about it
4: Leadership and Traps
5: Culture, Leadership, and Traps
6: Strengthening New Approaches
Conclusion: Traps and the Human Predicament
Chris Argyris is the James Bryant Conant Professor of Education and
Organizational Behavior Emeritus at Harvard University. He has
consulted to numerous private and governmental organizations. He
has received many awards including thirteen honorary degrees and
Lifetime Contribution Awards from the Academy of Management,
American Psychological Association, and American Society of
Training Directors. His most recent books are, Flawed Advice and
the Management
Trap (OUP, 1999), and Reasons and Rationalizations (OUP, 2004). A
chair professorship was established in his name in 1994 at Yale
University. He is a Director Emeritus of Monitor Group.
`For over half a century, Chris Argyris has been helping those who
are willing to reflect on their own behavior to become more
effective. This latest work is his clearest elucidation yet of why
we fall into the traps that stymie us and how we can author our own
escapes. And while he is at it, he provides wise counsel on how to
audit the logic of those who purport to tell us the secrets of
leadership.'
Roger Martin, Dean, Rotman School of Management, University of
Toronto
`Chris Argyris is a master of revealing the universal
dysfunctionalities of organisations and the challenges of dealing
with them. Here he picks up the theme of Organizational Traps and
successfully links them to issues of leadership, culture, and
organizational design. Once again Argyris offers us insights in how
to understand and tackle them.'
Andrew M Pettigrew OBE, FBA, Professor of Strategy and
Organisation, Saïd Business School
`Argyris has once again challenged my thinking, theories and
advice. Despite an explosion of books and articles about how to
lead, improve organizational effectiveness and change culture we
continue to see well intentioned and competent leaders embroiled in
personal and organizational failures. Using decades of research,
Argyris shows us the problem; our theories and advice ignore or
bypass the hard truth; people avoid conversations that will help
them
learn about gaps between their intention to change and reality.
Argyris argues that this well documented truth must be incorporated
in our theories if they are to be robust and make a sustained
difference. And
leaders must insist we do if they are to avoid spending millions on
flawed advice.'
Michael Beer, Chairman, TruePoint and Professor Emeritus, Harvard
Business School
`It is rare for a serious management book to be a real page-turner,
but this one is. Drawing on fascinating cases from a lifetime of
research on group and organizational dynamics, Chris Argyris shows
how our own reasoning processes entrap us in patterns of behavior
that we detest but cannot change. He explains how these traps
become self-sealing and why even our best efforts to escape them
merely tighten their bonds. The provocative strategy he offers
for
breaking out of our self-created traps merits close attention by
anyone who seeks to improve life and work in organizations.'
J. Richard Hackman, Edgar Pierce Professor of Social and
Organizational Psychology, Harvard University
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