Unlocking Τeams

Imagine a team of high-level executives responsible for a critical division of a large corporation.  Many members are operating from overactivated Parts that try to control, problem-solve and avoid mistakes. Other members appear more focused on loosening the fast-paced climate by cracking jokes and diverting conversations to more relaxed matters. When the team approaches a deadline or handles a daily crisis emotions run high; harsh criticism and conflicts arise. Some members react by withdrawing and going silent, others attempt to act as peacemakers, while others create subgroups where suspicions and gossip dominate. A popular ‘reading’ of this team is that some members ‘do all the work’ while others ‘ride the coattails’. This team is situated within a corporate culture of low tolerance for mistakes and delay. Speedy results, measured by multiple KPIs (key performance indicators), are valued and compensated.

This is an all-too-familiar image of corporate environments globally. Traditional interventions include 360 assessments, individual and group coaching, and organizational shifts centered on corporate values. One common element of almost all these approaches is the distinction between good and bad (or desired and undesired) attributes and behaviors. This frequently leaves individuals feeling shamed and misunderstood. After many years of serving executives, I have learned that lasting change of unwanted behavior is not common, due mostly to a lack of motivation and validation for the positive intentions of overreactive Parts. The pressure to change involves invoking submissive, shamed Parts and calling for the strengthening of a manager Part that controls the Parts that exhibit the unwanted behavior.

As IFS practitioners, we know this strategy rarely works. This is where IFS offers an invaluable paradigm. Applying the model at the organizational level is exceptionally compelling, offering a clear, innovative, and compassionate framework for understanding human networks and intervening within systems to increase harmony and Self-Leadership.

Applying an IFS lens to our example allows us to explore vital questions:

• What Parts dominate on individual and collective levels?
• What are those Parts protecting at the individual and collective levels?
• How does corporate culture influence the expression of parts at the team level?
  • Which protectors are favored by the specific corporate culture?
  • What polarities are predicted to surface?
  • How does the popular reading “Doing all the work” vs “Riding the coattails” translate into the language of polarities between managers and firefighters? And what type of Part is offering this perception? What alternative—and equally truthful—perceptions are there to consider?
• How much Self energy is present within the team and the organization as a whole?
• How can we help the group and the organization explore and reflect on its own dynamics and Parts constellation in a positive, non-pathologizing, Self-Led way?
• How can we intervene to increase the levels of Self energy within the group and the organization as a whole?

To bring these questions to life, our team in Greece has developed and recently launched Teams Unlocked, a flagship experiential training program focused on team dynamics. It is the first application of the IFS model in Greece tailored specifically for the corporate environment. The program was born out of qualitative research of real teams that were observed while navigating creative problem solving. This process led to the identification and mapping of 13 dominant Parts that show up during collaboration, including the Peacemaker, Entertainer, Critic, Perfectionist, Controlling and Taskmaster. We also qualitatively estimate the levels of Self-energy, protective energy, and exile energy within the group.

The training program is delivered as a live exploration; we facilitate innovative group activities, observing and recording how Parts collaborate. This is followed by a gentle introduction to IFS, group reflection of the observations, and tailored group feedback. The program concludes with personalized individual coaching sessions where the executives can further reflect on their system and what steps to take next.

In sum, this program aims to both capture the state of each individual’s internal system within the team and to decode the team’s collective identity. By linking these insights to the broader organizational culture, we aim to facilitate a transition from reactive self-protection to increased Self-leadership. The responses from our Greek clients have so far been very enthusiastic. There has been a palpable sense of relief when teams realize that they aren’t broken, that they are simply a system of Parts looking for a safer way to work together. As we expand beyond Greece, our goal remains the same: to unlock the Self that sits at the heart of every organization.

For more, see the Teams Unlocked website.