The Search for Unrational Leadership: Using Rational and Irrational Methods to Change Your Life

by Charles Fleetham

Book Overview

From the first paragraph, The Search for Unrational Leadership? challenges our rational mindset and keeps circling and wrestling this overgrown hydra of the Modern Age until the reader is infected by... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 097638681X
• ISBN13: 9780976386810
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Right Brain Books, LLC
• Length: 364 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A different, better, wholistic perspective

A familiar theme in alcohol/drug abuse therapy (my former career field)is "Your best thinking brought you here"...referring to the error in thought that made anyone feel that they could continue to use their mistaken, thoughtful arrogance in solving a current problem. Organizations, systems, and a variety of government institutions continue to analyze data, create strategic and operational plans, and develop/deliver programs following the logic, the rational approaches of "old school" management. In studying the "Positive Organizational Scholarship" studies of the University of Michigan's School of Business, and now Charlie Fleetham's "Search for Unrational Leadership", I've found many tools to support the development of my managerial and leadership skills. While friends have commented that reading the fairy tale within this book seems childish and pointless, I would counter with the way the story opens up a part of the brain that we neglect - the unconscious, and how it responds to symbols and images. OK, so maybe a management team isn't going to have a "dream circle" in the board room, but it certainly makes sense to discuss dreams in the context of planning, problem-solving, and creation of new programs or initiatives. If our best thinking brought us here - to high gas prices, global famines, multi-national disease possibilities, inadequate government and non-profit support systems to help victims of crisis, wars - we are obligated to find a new way. And Charlie's "new" way may not be so new after all - Native cultures across the world have incorporated many of the techniques that Charlie is reminding us of. Why wouldn't we want to incorporate our entire brain into our decision-making, planning and organizational management issues? Makes sense to me!

A strategy to create a "New Economy" based on the principles of what Fleetham has termed "Unrational

Also available in paperback (097638681X, $15.95), The Search For Unrational Leadership: Using Rational & Irrational Methods To Change Your Life by Charles Fleetham (founder of Project Innovations, a management consulting firm serving business and government) outlines a strategy to create a "New Economy" based on the principles of what Fleetham has termed "Unrational Leadership". This refers to a process that Fleetham developed using both rational and irrational methodologies to solve complex problems and in the process, achieving some truly astonishing results in resolving societal problems without the side affect of unintended negative consequences. Challenging, unorthodox, at times iconoclastic, The Search For Unrational Leadership is nevertheless thoughtful, thought-provoking, stimulating reading that is especially commended to the attention of anyone having a managerial responsibility for problem solving within their businesses, their communities, their social causes and political/cultural concerns.

A New Path Forward

I am a consultant who works with senior executives to help them build enterprises capable of remaining innovative, alive and vital over a very long period of time - rather than devolving into stagnant, bureaucratic institutions. The underpinnings of my consulting practice are derived, in part, from Jungian principles - although they are not necessarily explicitly labeled as such with all clients. The ultimate theoretical basis for my work is a collective of individuating Selves, or a Conscious Community. At any rate, I recently came across a book written by a consultant - Charles Fleetham - whose practice complements mine. In his book The Search for UnRational Leadership: Using Rational & Irrational Methods to Change Your Life, Charles Fleetham has created a path for practitioners to apply Jungian principles to leadership development and organizational change at a much-needed time in our cultural life. The author throws a harsh (and honest) spotlight on the deep cultural and business problems created by our current culture's over-reliance on cognitive rationality, and offers a much-needed antidote via the royal road to the wisdom of the unconscious. The author has created a practical road map for leaders to use Jung's principles in day-to-day organizational decision-making, as well as in times of collective crisis and future visioning. Fleetham has developed a wide variety of tools derived from Jung's principles, including dream work, ancestor visualization, couplings, mandalas, the hero's journey and the I Ching. He has also presented a wide variety of actual case studies, at both the individual and collective levels, where managers and leaders have overcome their initial resistance to using such "strange" tools, and in so doing have created extraordinary and powerful changes in their workplaces and private lives. Interspersed throughout the book is a newly-created fairy tale, which is (most of the time) fun. Its noble purpose is to engage the reader's unconscious and stimulate a deeper, experiential understanding of the book's concepts. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. Overall, this book is excellent. It is a pioneering book in that it pushes the boundary of Jungian thinking and practice into organizational life, which heretofore has been regarded in many Jungian circles at least with deep suspicion, and very often as simply heretical to everything Jung stood for. My recommendation? Individuate: Buy it and decide for yourself. Dean Robb, Ph.D.

Thought Provoking

An Outstanding Book! Allows the reader to look at and rely on their "darker" (or irrational) side in the decision making process. It teaches you how to confront and partner with your unconscious. Learn how to listen to "the voice that defies reason" and learn the five signs that your unconscious is confronting you. The reader learns how to look into dreams for signs or answers from the unconscious. This book walks you through the stages of life and shows you how to apply leadership to each one. I especially found the chapter on morals and ethics insightful. Charlie Fleetham uses real life situations to support his theory and surprises the reader with a riveting fairy tale! This book not only applies to your professional life, but your personal life as well. I recommend this book to anyone who is willing to look beyond conventional methods to improve leadership skills.

Touches Leaders' Minds and Hearts!

Powerful! Insightful! Will comfortably and uncomfortably stimulate you out of your comfort zone (or Comfortopia zone)! It integrates dimensions of human emotions and behavior with cultural evolution, expectations and growth. This book is one virtually anyone can relate to in multiple ways and provides hope that we can acknowledge unexplored parts of ourselves (our treasures) to make better decisions in any facet of our lives. Though not an easy process, the potential results for taking some personal or professional risks are incredible and even life changing. Charlie Fleetham courageously shares his own life experiences and his use of unrational leadership in dealing with difficult issues we all face, but frequently avoid or only partially address (problems that defy reason.) His somewhat unconventional use of combining psychological profiling, fairy tales, business and personal case histories, and original modeling of his new approach, keeps the reader amazingly involved...."where's he taking me next?" While reading, I guarantee you'll frequently smile and say to yourself...."boy, did he hit that one on the head!" or "yeah, I've sure dealt with that before." I found myself often sharing paragraphs with my wife, which then prompted some truly meaningful discussions. She's looking forward to reading it. I believe Fleetham makes a highly effective case for how we've come to rely almost exclusively on rational thought. Though probably a little scary or `out there' to some, most who have the courage to read and contemplate his thinking will see that the `Colossus of Rationality' really doesn't have any clothes on and needs to be told. As he relates, we don't have to give-up being rational or utilizing the abilities and strengths we've built over time.....we just need to include more of ourself (our treasures that we have to offer and work with) into the equation. The book is bold....different....relevant.....and valuable to anyone with even a partially open mind. One of my favorite books that had a significant impact on my life was The Celestine Prophecy. I think the reasons it was so powerful were: 1) I could see so much of myself in the story; 2) it touched on some things I had previously thought about, but was afraid to talk about with others; and 3) it kindled a somewhat dormant spirituality in me. The Search for Unrational Leadership has some of these same properties. Ken Pool