Articles - Career / Personal Development

“Know thyself” - Socrates
Wherever there are people, there is psychology (and  we don’t mean just clinical psychotherapy).

Where is the “mind”?  Where is the “spirit”?  Where is the “personality”?  Where are values and vision?  Where are attitudes and opinions?  These are all constructs, labels for our “inner world”, that  realm of self awareness, thoughts, emotions, imagery, memories, and “intuitions” that seems to reside somewhere “inside” our bodies.

We  negotiate and navigate our way through life from this inner world, this “mission control” that cannot be perceived by our external five senses.   Our  “mission control” has to constantly balance our internal and external realities.   Some may argue that our inner world is not “real”, but it certainly feels real to each of us subjectively.     Not only is it real, but it controls every experience, every project we are involved with.

So, what does this say about how organizations function successfully (or not)?  Since organizations are composed of human beings, the qualities and functionality of each stakeholder’s  inner world becomes very important indeed.

And, since executive managers and leaders are the “mission control” of organizations, the state of their inner worlds  has a profound impact on everything and everyone else within the organization.

 Our inner world is comprised of multiple elements in dynamic interplay with our core awareness that we are a specific, individual “self”.  These elements can be in harmonious relationship, or in a state of war with each other.

Organizational leaders are not exempted from the destructive consequences of chronic battles between elements of their inner world.   (Williams, in Financial Post (blog), 3/19/2010; Ward, in The Economist, 7/31/2010)

 Commitment to mental  “hygeine” is an essential component of effective living, and especially essential for those in leadership positions.   Many strategies are available to clean up toxic dynamics within our inner universe.

 A good place to start is with our incessant mental “chatter” that habitual “background noise” of thoughts and emotions that most of us live with from moment to moment.   When this chatter consists of affirmative and reality based cognitions and feelings, our personal and professional effectiveness is increased.  When it consists of irrational thoughts and negative emotions, we cripple our effectiveness and our pleasure in personal and professional life projects.    Destructive self talk must be examined and transformed.  (McKay, et al, 2007)

 Once we have mastered habitual thoughts and feelings, we need to carefully examine our rules, life “scripts”, and value systems.  Is there dissonance, conflict between multiple values?  How is this dissonance affecting our functioning?  It is vital to deconstruct  our foundational beliefs, and to systematically reconstruct value systems and core assumptions that will unlock our creative energies and our resilience.  (Koestenbaum, 2002; Widdowson, 2009; Duta, 1998)

 A vital component of inner world cleanup and tune up is stress transformation.   We need to change crippling stress into energetic excitement and focused action flowing from a calm, clear unified consciousness.   Many techniques are available to achieve this goal, from yoga and breath rehabilitation, to various meditation procedures,  to medically based relaxation programs.  (Samuels, 2003)

Another essential characteristic of a healthy inner world is the ability to quickly access the deepest layers of one’s internal  resources.    A strong ongoing conversation with  our deep resources can keep us realistic, calm, confident, and rational no matter how chaotic what we are facing might be.   Maintaining states of alert calmness also enhances access

to skills, knowledge, and creativity often compromised by anxiety, anger, or attachment to habitual attitudes and expectations.  (Ellis, 1975, Zohar, 2004)

Each day presents us with evidence of the destructive impact that a toxic, dissonant inner world can have for individuals, organizations, and societies.   It is imperative that leaders take the lead in self awareness and self transformation.  Their commitment to doing so will initiate positive organizational transformation.

 BIOGRAPHY

Sabina Becker, Ph.D., is co-founder and co-principal of  BeckerSerri Consultants, LLC, a leadership and life coaching organization.   www.beckerserri.com

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