Life and death in the executive fast lane

Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries puts organizations on the couch in this collection of sad, mad, funny, and outrageous essays. By combining the "dismal science" of economics and the "impossible profession" of psychoanalysis, Kets de Vries presents eclectic commentaries on how things really work in organizations. Capturing the essence of the irrationalities that pervade our organizations and compromise our leaders, he offers surprising and useful ideas about what makes organizations tick and why they and the people in them ultimately succeed or fail. A bedside reader for all who experience the dysfunctional aspects of today's workplace, this collection of brief and insightful essays not only deciphers problems that are common in organizational life but also sheds light on some of the underlying dimensions that often go unnoticed. Kets de Vries makes sense out of specific behaviors, stories, myths, rituals, and jokes to help people understand the conflicts, anxieties, defenses, and tensions that constantly arise. The author covers everything from leadership and entrepreneurship to families in business, change and downsizing, women as leaders, balancing work and pleasure, and managing acquisitions, using contemporary examples like Robert Maxwell, Jack Welch, Tom Peters, Robert Coles, and John Gardner.