Chapter 12: Psychodynamic Approach - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Chapter 12: Psychodynamic ApproachSlide2

Overview

Psychodynamic Approach Perspective

The Clinical ParadigmHistory of the Psychodynamic ApproachKey Concepts and Dynamics within the Psychodynamic ApproachHow Does the Psychodynamic Approach Work?

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide3

Description

Leadership involves harnessing the complex forces and

dynamics at play in organizations.Constantly shifting and irrational forces underlie seemingly rational behaviors and choices.Approach acknowledges that people are complex, unique and paradoxical beings with rich and myriad motivational drivers.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide4

The Clinical Paradigm

Four basic premises:

There is a rationale behind every human actA great deal of mental life lies outside of conscious awarenessMost central part of a person is the way he or she regulates and expresses emotionsWe are all products of our past experiences

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide5

History

Freud

Neurotic symptoms manifest a person’s inner driversActing-out behaviors help us understand the unconsciousRepetition of certain dysfunctional patterns suggests motivational undercurrents that affect decision makingDidn’t apply his ideas to the working world

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide6

History

London

Tavistock InstituteAmong the first to apply psychoanalytic concepts to organizational lifeStudied the unconscious functioning of the group as a whole rather than as aggregate of individualsHidden dynamics within organizations influence leadership through socio-technical systems, industrial democracy, defense systems against anxiety, social dreaming, and organizational roles 17 year study of Glacier Metal in Scotland

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide7

History

Menninger Clinic (Menninger and Levinson)

Mid-1950s conducted extensive national survey of mental health problems in industries and recommended how to solve themOffered weeklong seminars for executives to help them understand why people act as they doLevinson linked failure of managers to contain anxieties of workers to employee depression and low productivityLevinson developed concept of the “psychological contract”

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide8

History

Zaleznik

Influenced group of scholars interested in combining organizational studies with psychoanalysis (e.g., Kets de Vries, Kakar, Laurin, and others)Argued that business focused too much on process and structure and not enough on ideas and emotionLeaders should relate to followers in more empathetic and intuitive ways.Seminal study – The Neurotic Organization (Kets de Vries & Miller) proposed that neuroses of a top leader can be recreated throughout the organization

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide9

History

Hirschhorn

Used the term “applied clinical practice” to describe organizational consulting interventions that included diagnostic methods and actions based on clinical psychologyThe Workplace Within: Psychodynamics of organizational Life (1988) – understanding the irrational and emotional character of organizationsProposed working with real clients on practical outcomes by addressing the hidden and unconscious mechanisms underlying patterns of organizational behavior

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide10

History

Mitscherlich

Applied psychoanalytic principles to post–WWII societySociety without the Father, The Inability to Mourn – shaped Germany’s analyses of the causes of their warOpened field of social psychology to a broader audienceHow fantasies, projections, identifications, suppression, repression, and idealization play out in groups

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide11

History

Summary

Field has come a long way since Freud to apply concepts to functioning of leaders in organizationsPsychoanalytic techniques and theory have become increasingly sophisticatedInterfacing with other domains such as anthropology, neuroscience, cognitive theory, family systems theory, and so onMany components of theory have been empirically tested and verified

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide12

1)

Focus on the inner theater

Inner theatre is stage filled with people who have influenced our lives for better or worseEarly experiences with key individuals contribute to creation of response patterns that tend to repeat themselves“Core conflictual relationship themes” (CCRT) develop over time and carry over into adulthoodWe act out these themes in the workplaceUnderstanding a person’s CCRT helps us understand the motivation behind his or her behavior and key relationship conflicts and works to align his or her deep wishes with more productive interpersonal relationshipsKey Concepts

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide13

Key Concepts

2) Focus on leader-follower relationships

Wilfrid Bion (1959), three basic assumptions in groups: dependency, fight-flight, pairingThese behaviors may result in regressive processes, deflecting people from tasks to be performedUnconscious assumption 1: People may unconsciously expect organizations or leaders to offer parental protection and guidance, and so give up their autonomy, thus hindering their critical thinking and initiative.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide14

Unconscious assumption 2

:

The organizational world is dangerous and participants must use fight-or-flight as a defense mechanism. Creates a bipolar view of the world: friend or foe, in-group/out-group. Results in a sense of unity but makes the group more dependent on the leader.Unconscious assumption 3: Pairing up with a powerful person or subgroup will help a person cope with anxiety, alienation, and loneliness. Pairing may result in splitting and intra- and inter-group conflict, or ganging up against a leader perceived as aggressor.Key Concept: Leader-Follower Relationships

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide15

Key Concepts

Social Defense Mechanisms

Organizational life is filled with fear and unpredictabilityWhen organizational anxiety is not properly managed, people may act out (splitting, projection, displacement, denial)Typically, executives rely on existing structures and processes to contain anxietyThese bureaucratic routines end up creating obstacles and create employee detachment

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide16

Key Concepts

Mirroring and Idealizing

Mirroring: Taking our cues about being and behaving from those around us.Can become collusive: Followers are eager to use their leaders to reflect what they would like to see. Leaders find affirmation of followers hard to resist. Result—leaders may act to shore up image rather than serve organizational needs.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide17

Key Concepts

Identification with the Aggressor

Faced with a superior force, people sometimes feel the need to become like that force, to protect themselves.In the extreme, those who have been threatened become those making threats.Leader sees people either for or against him/her.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide18

Key Concepts

Folie

a DeuxShared madnessCollusion where a dominant person’s delusions are adopted by other members of the organization.Leader whose capacity for reality testing is impaired may transfer delusions to followers who, in order to minimize conflict, sacrifice truth and honest criticism to maintain a connection with the leader.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide19

Key Concepts

3) Focus on the

Shadow Side of LeadershipNarcissism: Behaviors that range from normal self-interest to pathological self-absorption.Constructive narcissists are well-balanced, have healthy self-esteem, capacity for introspection and empathy. Inspire others to be better and even change what they do.Reactive narcissists are fixated on issues of power, status, and superiority. Don’t tolerate disagreement and criticism; rarely consult with others.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide20

How Does the Psychodynamic Approach Work?

An effective organization needs to understand the complexity of why leaders act the way they do

People differ in their motivational patternsLeaders and followers are not one-dimensional but complex and paradoxicalThe essence of leadership is the ability to use motivational patterns to influence othersLeadership also has a dark side, and success can come from unexpected places; it is not entirely rational

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide21

How Does the Psychodynamic Approach Work?

Challenge is to relate psychodynamic theory to other

organizational theoriesFocusing solely on unconscious motivations of individuals and groups limits application to larger systemsFocusing solely on large systems may overlook sources of motivation and energy of individuals who make up the system

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide22

Strengths

Addresses undercurrents of organizational life

Develops personal insight on the part of the leaderInvolves an in-depth and systemic investigation of a single person, group, event, or communityFocuses on the underlying drivers of leaders and followers

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide23

Criticisms

Much of early work based on clinical observation of people with mental illness.

Does not lend itself to training in the conventional sense. No standard solution for every individual.Situates the intervention at the individual level; more structural and systemic organizational issues remain in the background.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide24

Application

Peer group coaching

: Participants work together to uncover blind spots, challenge one another, identify behavior for change, and experiment with new behavior in their workplace.Tipping points for change: When participants make a connection between their current choices in life, see discrepancies in their lives, and work to realign those.Consultant and client work together to address social defenses with the aim of healing organizational neurosis.

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide25

Application

Group Coaching

External group facilitatorPre-intervention interviews with participants to identify major issues and complete 360-degree feedback surveysDay of intervention: Self-portrait exercise; 360-degree feedback discussion; two-way dialogue for person in the “hot seat”; voicing one’s commitment to changeFollow-up: Group becomes mutually invested in encouraging new behaviors; encourages courageous conversations; people learn how to give and receive feedback

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.Slide26

Application

Processes to bring about tipping points for change

Cathartic experiences Mutual identificationPsychodynamic lensWillingness to experimentVicarious learningReal communityCollective learningAltruistic motive

Peter G. Northouse,

Leadership: Theory and Practice

, Seventh Edition. © 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.