Book excerpt: "Leadership effectiveness, gratifying interpersonal relationships, and richer self-fulfillment are all a result of communicating effectively, understanding ourselves and others, and affirming our values in a manner than conveys who we are and what matters most to us. Although communication is considered a relatively simple and straight-forward process, the reality is that it is fraught with confusion, lack of clarity, and unintended deception. The failures associated with communicating include a recurring inability to know oneself and to be unsuccessful in defining our real values and priorities. As we search for more effective ways of communicating who we are, what we are seeking, and what we mean, we often fail to recognize the barriers that exist and how we can recognize what matters most to ourselves and to others. Meanings are both hidden and difficult to fathom - even the meanings that are so important about ourselves and our own identities. The processes of communicating, self-learning, and self-discovery open the door to new meanings and a clearer sense of our own identities. By overcoming the barriers of self-deception and the distortion of meaning, we refine our ability to see ourselves and others more clearly. In so doing we also discover at a higher level who we are, who we can become, and what we can achieve by fulfilling our highest potential. Incorporating insights from self-actualization, identity theory, and interpersonal development, this book enables individuals to achieve a clearer understanding of themselves and others in the process of self-discovery and self-improvement in the quest to create more effective leaders, better organizations, and more satisfying lives"--