Is Transactional Analysis (TA) relevant?
In the first of a multi part series written by RapidBI team associate Vince Whittle, we look at Transactional Analysis and its application in management and people development.
Introduction to TA
Many people have heard of Transactional Analysis (TA) and it was popular a number of years ago in management development programmes but how relevant is a psychoanalytic tool developed in the ’50s to today’s managers and consultants in industry and commerce?
There is scepticism about the role of a host of ‘psychological’ interventions and tools and the legitimacy of their use in the work place or of the consultant peddling their “snake oil” as a cure all for organisation problems – and rightly so. But what of a straight forward model for understanding the behaviour of our self and others that can give a rich insight into the complexities of human relations?
I would argue that knowledge and experience of Transactional Analysis as part of personal development provides a very useful understanding of individuals, relationships and communication which is at the heart of management and organisational effectiveness.
History of Transactional Analysis (TA)
TA has its roots firmly in the therapeutic arena. It was developed as an approach to psychotherapy by Dr Eric Berne, a Canadian Psychiatrist who had become increasingly frustrated with approaches to psychotherapy in the late 1950s. His revolutionary approach led to an effective theory of personality and systematic psychotherapy with a wide range of applications from clinical approaches to psychopathology, child development, communication and therapy for individuals, couples, groups and families. However the great legacy is its application outside the therapeutic field in education, social work, management and organisations.
The models that Dr Berne developed are readily accessible and provide insight into the dynamics of human relationships. He published Games People Play in 1964 which became a best seller. According to Dr. Berne:
“… games are ritualistic transactions or behaviour patterns between individuals that can indicate hidden feelings or emotions – you can think of a game as a series of interactions (words, body language, facial expressions, etc.) between two or more people that follow a predictable pattern. The interactions ultimately progress to an outcome in which one individual obtains a “payoff” or “goal.” In most cases, the participants of the games are unaware that they are “playing.”"
… Read the whole article on Transactional Analysis by VJ Whittle
Posted by Mike Morrison 
