Dr. Jung comes in at this point:
“Perhaps your assignment of Gwen to the role of HR director is, in part, influenced by the traditional role of woman as nurturer. You might want to ask yourself if Gwen is really suited to this role. She seems to be more interested in the technological and strategic sides of her job rather than the human side. It might be appropriate for you to consider breaking up this division.”
Mitch is a bit surprised. This is the first time that Dr. Jung has made a specific suggestion regarding the operation of his organization. He feels a bit ambivalent regarding this “consultative” intervention.
Mitch’s List of Deeper Patterns
Dr. Jung and Mitch conclude this fourth session by reviewing the revised list that Mitch prepared concerning patterns in the items he identified about how other people in his organization see him. Some of the items on this list of patterns align with several of the characters in Dr. Jung’s psychic theater. Mitch finds that there is a pattern concerned with driving and demanding behavior—which seems to Mitch very much like his masculine animus. At the same time, other items seemed more closely aligned with his feminine anima: dedication and support. Mitch noted that many of the items on his list that seem feminine came from his wife: “Does she see something in me that members of my organization doesn’t see” Dr. Jung offers an alternative interpretation:
“Perhaps there is something about your role in the organization that pulls for your masculine animus characteristics. Or does the culture of your organization pull for masculine animus characteristics in its leader? We will be considering this second possibility during one or our future sessions.”
Dr. Jung also noted that the polarization identified in Session Four might be energized by the pull between the feminine anima and masculine animus that both appear in the role played out by Mitch in his organization. Mitch leaves this session with much to ponder regarding his role as leader of a stressful newspaper enterprise.
Session Five
Mitch enters this session with more questions than answers. He comments that some of the items on his original list and on his list of patterns don’t’ fit with either masculine or feminine. Furthermore, none of the items (other than “innovator”—which not really be a shadow-based function in his organization). Mitch indicates that he wonders why none of the items on his list relate to the Shadow. Dr. Jung mentions that the Shadow function in an organization is usually not served by the formal leader. Rather, it is served by the “loyal opposition” or by “outliers” or those who have left the organization (voluntarily or forced out). Dr. Jung notes that what is often “discarded” in an organization (the organization’s “garbage”) tells us, in a negative way, about the true values and priorities of the organization.
Dr. Jung then suggests that there are many more characters in the psychic theater. Some of these might be identified on Mitch’s list. It is at this point that Dr. Jung indicates he is moving beyond his traditional Jungian colleagues. Dr. Jung speaks of the roles played specifically by leaders of the psychic theater. These are the fictious portraits of leaders who are very wise, leaders who are brave, and leaders offering a profound vision.:
“All three of these portrayals are widely found in contemporary societies. In your country [USA], the wise leader is found in a wide variety of renditions ranging from Benjamin Franklyn to Albert Einstein and George Lucas’ Yoda. You Americans envision the leader of courage in George Washington, Rosa Parks and Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus. Leadership of vision is portrayed in the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and either Steve Jobs or Bill Gates (take your pick).”
Dr. Jung asked Mitch to identify the role he is most likely to play at his newspaper enterprise. Has this role changed over time? Mitch paused for a moment and then indicated that he was originally a visionary leader:
“Along with Frank I saw the need for a community-based newspaper in my community. I also envisioned this newspaper being politically neutral but strongly committed to matters of social justice and career opportunities for members of our community. I later envisioned providing similar services in two neighboring communities.”
