Thomas Spjuth is one of our experienced and knowledgeable partners. Below, he shares his perspective on the power of transactional analysis to develop and unlock communication skills in the interaction between leaders and teams.
Statement: A high-performing team that delivers understands and knows how to manage communication effectively!
Question: Does the leader of that team need to be the one who knows and can do the most when it comes to communication?
When I am hired as a leadership and team development consultant in companies and organizations, I am first curious about: How do people communicate and understand each other here? How does the team communicate and interact with each other and with the leader? Is the leader aware of their own communication style and ability to engage others, or do misunderstandings and low-level conflicts tend to arise?
Conscious Communication: Both a Benefit and a Barrier
At IntegPartner, we view leadership as the ability to integrate everyone’s strength and willingness to move in the same direction. Typically, the responsibility falls on the leader to guide and show the way. Only then can the immense power within the team be unleashed – by ensuring the leader does not stand in the way of what needs to happen. Conscious communication can either hinder or release this power.
So, how do you develop both the leader’s and the team’s ability to communicate, understand, and cooperate more effectively? We base our work on a psychological theory and method developed by Eric Berne in the 1950s: Transactional Analysis (TA).
Core Components of Transactional Analysis:
Ego States
According to TA, each person has three ego states:
- Parent: Behaviors, thoughts, and feelings we have learned from our parents or authorities.
- Adult: A logical, rational state that analyzes reality in the present.
- Child: Feelings and behaviors related to our childhood experiences.
Transactions
A “transaction” is a unit of communication—an exchange between two people. TA analyzes these exchanges to understand whether they are healthy and effective (complementary) or if they risk creating conflict (crossed transactions).
Life Positions
These relate to how people view themselves and others. For example:
- “I’m OK, you’re OK” (the healthiest position).
- “I’m not OK, you’re OK,” etc.
Games & Life Scripts
- Psychological Games: Repeated, often destructive patterns in relationships.
- Life Scripts: Subconscious plans we form in childhood and tend to follow throughout life.
Identifying Communication Patterns
From a leadership perspective, there is a risk of communicating too frequently from the Parent ego state (critical or nurturing), which in turn seeks a response from the employee’s Child ego state (adapted or free), where there is no space for power or development.
The team and the leader are then offered a training module together in the leadership programs organized by IntegPartner, where TA is used to identify their communication patterns in everyday situations. This also includes recognizing and breaking destructive communication patterns, understanding from which ego state (I-state) the reaction most often originates, and exploring what an alternative response would sound like from an Adult ego state.
Often, there needs to be a sense of security within the entire team during this training module, allowing everyone to both offer themselves and feel comfortable “playing” with being in one of the three ego states. Eric Berne’s research shows that we all have these three ego states in our personalities, and they shift daily depending on the situation and the person we are communicating with.
Establishing a Common Language
My experience with TA is that it provides a simple model for establishing a common language and understanding each other’s communication styles. An important prerequisite is that the leader leads by example, acknowledges their own personal shortcomings, and is willing to use the language and methods of the TA model in everyday communication with team members. This fosters responsibility and awareness of their ability to choose and adapt their communication, striving to react and lead from one Adult ego state to another.
Are you curious to learn more or interested in using the TA model for your leadership and team development journey? Don’t hesitate to contact us!
Thomas Spjuth
IntegPartner
