When evaluating the psychodynamic approach between leaders and followers, it is critical for the leader to analyze their own behaviors first before understanding their subordinates’ personality characteristics. We each carry our own individual experiences which gives that personal and dynamic process its own motivators. Effective leaders will examine their own hidden negative aspects (shadow self) to help strengthen their own weaknesses for the betterment of the team (PSU, 2016). The psychodynamic approach is a theory which helps to bring upon an acceptance and understanding of behaviors rather than change of one’s behaviors, attitudes, and feelings (PSU, 2016). Leadership impacts the way people interact within the organization and an effective leader will have insight to their followers needs as they inspire them to behave in a positive action towards company goals (Northouse, 2016). Human behavior is a personal and dynamic process, which leaders need to take into consideration when motivating their followers.
The shift in work environments has moved towards team atmospheres where the skill sets have become intertwined and more diverse. It is a way for a company to save money, but they also are not losing the skill if an employee chooses to leave. In a team environment, a leader must find the strengths of the individuals so they can better understand their motivators and they can adapt their style to better encourage each person. One’s inner subconscious behaviors impact on our current behaviors.
(Kazlev, 2004)
Frued has helped to identify people’s personality structure: id, ego, and superego. They fall within the conscious, preconscious, and the unconscious layers. The following video gives a brief overview of Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory:
(Sullivan, 2015)
In Northouse 2016, the psychodynamic approach has been broken down into three key concepts and dynamics. The inner theater helps to identify relationship themes and how our personality styles are uniquely set. They help to guide our desires, needs, and goals to how we approach others and how we contribute to the world around us.
Second, it focuses on the leader/follower relationships: dependency, fight-flight, and pairing. A leader must know how to ease employee’s anxiety and frustrations in the workplace. The mirroring dynamic between a leader and a follower can cause tension when the leader places the follower’s admiration over the needs of the organization. A leader’s aggression can become projected onto the follower as they view the work place as their way or the high way. In some environments can be described as “folie a deux,” or shared madness, the leader may become delusional and the subordinates only follow along as a way of self-preservation.
Finally, the shadow side of leadership targets the narcissism. It can be constructive or reactive. A constructive narcissist can be very balanced and productive in how they work with their followers. Their strength and confidence become projected onto the team, but a reactive narcissist can be hyper focused on power and prestige. This type of leader is unwilling to hear criticism, so they work singularly without any reflection on the realities (Northouse, 2016).
My current department has been pretty dysfunction for many years but the dynamics have become more intrusive on the team and our supervisor has recognized that she is unable to change the direction of the team. I work for a university where student workers are common. Our team generally works with 6-10 students per semester. Each team member holds their own special skills but our duties cross paths and interact with each other. The supervisor favors one individual because they were friends prior to her becoming the leader of our department. It has been openly stated by the supervisor that she is seen as a “mother figure” for this individual. On the outside of it, the team sees her games and how she makes fun of the supervisor and manager. My co-worker feels that discrimination is appropriate and she will often create conflict with students and team members who do not follow her beliefs. It is an unwritten rule that students /co-workers who go to drunken parties at this team member’s house (underage students included) will be given less duties. They are also allowed to come in late and leave early. The students who do not hang out with her will become outcasts and not asked to return for the next semester. This married co-worker has also pursued our single computer liaison to help advance her position. When she no long needed his skills, she cried sexual harassment. Our supervisor knew this was false and quickly moved him into another office, but she still protected her friend.
Our supervisor is a very nice person but she is allowing her dependency for approval and the mirroring effect between this co-worker to be placed above the needs of our organization. My co-worker feels empowered to break the rules. She will often leave for several breaks throughout the day, only to return to the office refusing work so she can sit at her computer and watch videos all day. Several other team members have realized that they too can disregard the supervisor’s wishes if they stand up to her. We have become a divided team and the frustrations keep building as the student workers will only follow the guidance of those who will let them slack. Team members feel they are unheard and they are punished (or removed) from leading projects when they speak up to the supervisor, so they stop approaching her and they try to not get on the “friend’s” bad side. My supervisor sees the “folie a deux,” so she is retiring early to escape our poisonous atmosphere.
I can see the use of the psychodynamic approach being used to help influence a better view on individual relationship and how a leader can improve their own preconceived notions, but it is an approach that also is flawed in how training can be applied to improve the circumstances. The leader’s personality and style is very personal to them so a custom training plan would have to be created. It is also important to take into consideration the team dynamics and the structure of the working environment. I believe that the psychodynamic approach helps leaders to take into consideration the followers human behaviors when helping to motivate the team because each personality is dynamic.
References
Kazlev, M. Alan (2004). Psychoanalytical Psychology. Retrieved January 30, 2016 from http://www.kheper.net/topics/psychology/Freud.html
Northouse, P.G. (2016), Leadership: Theory and practice. (7th ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications.
Pennsylvania State University (2016). Leadership in Work Settings—PSYCH 485. Online course lesson. Penn State World Campus. The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved January 27, 2016 from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp16/psych485/002/content/03_lesson/01_page.html
Sullivan, Sean (2015). Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory – The Big Idea in under 3 Minutes. Retrieved January 30, 2015 from https://youtube.com/watch?v=XCtm0FSGZus