The Power of Openness and Trust

In this book, we follow the developmental process of a top management team, from being trapped in dysfunctional behavioral patterns like “He who sees the problem becomes the problem”, “Describing shortcomings as if they were virtues”, and “Ruthless consideration”, to attaining a team climate marked by openness, trust, accountability, and, by that, obtaining the ability to make decisions and efficiently implement them. 

The real-time narrative is interspersed with reflections on the course of events during that development process, which are built on theory as well as on the author’s experience of developing management teams for the last 25 years. By intertwining real-time events and theoretical discussions, the book deepens the understanding of the behavior of team members as it is occurring, as well as brings the abstract theories into flesh and bone at the same time, making them easier for the reader to apply to situations he or she faces in workaday life.

The book is a must-read for managers at all levels who want to understand and influence the dynamics they face in their management teams, and for management consultants and leadership trainers helping managers master team and organizational dynamics. In addition, it will also be of interest to anyone who wants to understand what’s going on under the surface in the groups they take part in.

Lars J Clemedson is an organizational psychologist, leadership consultant, and a thought leader in the fields of organizational culture and team performance.