Originally published: 2000.

Self-Deception and the "Box" -- Bud -- A Problem -- Self-Deception -- The Problem beneath Other Problems -- Beneath Effective Leadership -- The Deep Choice That Determines Influence -- People or Objects -- Doubt -- How We Get in the Box -- Kate -- Self-Betrayal -- Characteristics of Self-Betrayal -- Life in the Box -- Collusion -- Box Focus -- Box Problems -- How We Get out of the Box -- Lou -- Leadership in the Box -- Toward Being out of the Box -- Dead Ends -- The Way Out -- Leadership out of the Box -- Birth of a Leader -- Another Chance.

This book uses an entertaining story to identify self-deception as the underlying cause of leadership failure, and show how any leader can overcome self-deception to become a consistent catalyst of success. The authors show that the key to successful leadership lies deeper than a particular technique, behavior or skill, and that most people problems in organizations are the result of self-deception--a problem that can be identified, isolated, and treated in a disciplined, results-oriented way. The book demonstrates how people can stop undermining themselves and what happens when they do--freely and fully putting to work all the behavioral skills, systems, and techniques that will bring success to them and their organizations.--From publisher description.