For last quarter’s Leadership and Professional Development class at Pinchot University, I had to read this book and reflect about its teachings.
The idea is that our mental models that we built during our youth and adolescence can be changed to better accommodate our adult lives is already a good news. The authors provide tools and ideas to do so as well as examples of people who did.
Here is a graph taken from the book that illustrates mental models our their complexity. As you can see, you are probably in Stage 4 : the self authoring mind. The self transforming one is your goal.
Before arriving to Pinchot I never had read any personal development books. I have to say reading this book and doing the four column exercise a few times, I have discovered a few interesting things about myself and my psyche. Think about a “aha” or ” OH BUGGER ” moment.
What if your hidden assumptions, your darkest fears from your childhood prevented you from truly reaching your current goals ? What if they made it more difficult for you to work and be part of a successful team ? There again, in a bit more than 300 pages – you can skip quite some of it – the authors do a great job at providing the tools to free you from these and move forward and upward.
Even more interesting, this book gives also tools and examples of what this means for a whole team to take into account these hidden truths and commitments.
Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization
by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey
A true keeper. Strongly recommend it to anyone not living to their full potentials and willing to do so.
Grade : 16/20.
Thanks to our Faculty, John Koriath.