Intro To 7:47 Conversations Podcast

In this insightful episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra welcomes Mitch Warner, Managing Partner at The Arbinger Institute and co-author of Leadership and Self-Deception. Mitch guides us through the core principles of Arbinger’s groundbreaking work, exploring the central idea of self-deception—a psychological barrier that prevents individuals from seeing others clearly and, ultimately, impedes personal and organizational growth.Mitch introduces the concept of self-deception as the tendency to see ourselves inaccurately, often with a biased or distorted lens, which leads us to misjudge others as obstacles or tools rather than as people with legitimate needs and perspectives. This inward mindset results from what Arbinger terms self-betrayal, a failure to act on our internal sense of how we should treat others. Mitch emphasizes that self-deception is not just a personal issue but a core problem in organizations, affecting everything from team collaboration to leadership effectiveness. He