The Conscious Leader

About the Author

Dr. Shelley Reciniello has a wealth of experience in providing employee assistance programs, executive coaching, and organizational consultation to some of the world's leading corporations, including Avon, Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, and divisions of Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and General Electric. Her insights have been shared on television, radio, and in esteemed publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Glamour, Elle, and the Reuters international publications network. Her profound understanding of unconscious processes and their impact on workplace dynamics forms the foundation of her work, offering valuable perspectives on leadership and organizational behavior.

Main Idea

In "The Conscious Leader: Nine Principles and Practices to Create a Wide-Awake and Productive Workplace," Dr. Shelley Reciniello explores the often-overlooked psychological underpinnings that impact organizational success. She argues that unconscious processes within leaders and employees can sabotage initiatives, undermine performance, and derail well-conceived projects. The book provides nine fundamental principles that address these psychological phenomena, offering practical solutions to make the unconscious conscious, thereby fostering a more productive and aware workplace.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Everything Goes Wrong When Everything Seemed Right
3. When Leaders Don’t Know Their Achilles Heels
4. When Personalities Get in the Way of Business
5. When Organizations Repeat Family Dynamics
6. When People Regress in Groups
7. Making Diversity Real
8. Learn How to Wear the Cap
9. When Change is a Constant
10. The Mind Does Not Take Care of Itself

Introduction

Dr. Reciniello opens the book by emphasizing that people bring their entire psychological selves to work, including their unconscious minds. She highlights the importance of understanding both conscious and unconscious variables to achieve success in the workplace. She draws from Sigmund Freud's assertion that to be mentally healthy, one must be able to "love and work." The modern workplace, she argues, requires navigating the underground psychological terrain of people at work, which includes egos, underlying anger, and secret motivations. This sets the stage for the book's exploration of nine psychological principles that can either undermine or enhance workplace success.

Why Everything Goes Wrong When Everything Seemed Right

The first principle addresses the irrational nature of human beings and how their unconscious minds often have hidden agendas. People bring personal preoccupations such as work pressures, health concerns, and family problems to the workplace, but it is the unconscious issues like unresolved childhood experiences, fears, and obsessions that can truly disrupt work dynamics. Dr. Reciniello argues that success depends on making "the unconscious conscious." By understanding and addressing these hidden factors, leaders can strengthen their rational selves and improve decision-making processes. She warns against the temptation to act for action's sake, advocating instead for reflection and introspection to address unconscious issues.