I invite you to explore with me some of the perspectives and practices in which Carl Jung might have engaged by offering a hypothetical case study (much as I did in the essay about Sigmund Freud as a Life Coach). I imagine that Carl Jung had a nephew, called Kurt Jung. Like his uncle, Kurt Jung has been fully engaged in analytic perspectives and practices. He has benefited, however, from some of the recent perspectives and practices provided by other analysts and by other therapists, consultants and researchers in the fields of psychology and neurobiology.
He is about to meet with an American businessman named Mitch Lauridsen coming to Zurich to meet with Dr. Kurt Jung. Like his uncle, Kurt Jung has attracted many women to his office in Zurich, where he provides both analytically oriented organizational consultation and analytic psychotherapy. Four months ago, Mitch’s wife came to see Dr. Jung to get help with post-partum depression after the birth of their second child. She is still in Zurich, has received greatly appreciated assistance from Kurt Jung, and has encouraged her husband to join her in Zurich to receive assistance from Dr. Jung. Here is a bit of background regarding Mitch Lauridsen.
Mitch Lauridsen
Mitch was 54 years old when he traveled to meet with Dr. Jung. He is the publisher of several regional newspapers located in one of the western states in America. The Mountain Times, Valley Times, and Lakeside Times are all published by Mitch, with the Mountain Times being by far the largest newspaper, serving a small city of about 100,000 residents. Western Times Press, the organization which publishes these three newspapers, is staffed by 45-50 employees. In addition to Mitch and his executive assistant, there is a vice president of production (with a team of 10), a vice president of sales and marketing (with a team of 7), a vice president of human resources, strategic planning and IT (information technology) (with a staff of 5), a Treasurer and VP of Finance (with a staff of 4) and an editorial staff of fourteen people, headed by the Western Times editor.
At the present time, Western Times Press produces both a print and digital version of the Mountain Times every day (with an expanded Sunday edition). The Valley Times and Lakeside Times are produced once a week, with the Sunday Mountain Times also being sent to all Valley and Lakeside subscribers. Mitch and his sales and marketing VP have brought in several additional printing projects. These are primarily supermarket ads and coupons, and a couple of regular informal circulars that focus on the arts and crafts in this Western region.
The major challenges that Mitch faces concerns technology. This is both about the use of robots to print the three newspapers, and the use of Artificial Intelligence to assist in the writing and editing of the three papers. He has recently hired Gwen as VP of strategic planning and information technology (along with HR) to direct a writing and editing initiative, while his VP for production has successfully handled the introduction of robots in the production process.
While Mitch does expect Dr. Jung to be conversant in matters of robotics and A.I., he does believe that the good and wise doctor might help him loosen his own ridge grip on his publishing business. Mitch founded this business 20 years ago, has been tightly controlling its operations for all these years, and has only opened to new ideas with the successful introduction of robotics by his Production VP, and hiring of Gwen to expand the scope and vision of his business. While Mitch has become open to these new technologies, he still is a “control freak” and has an editorial staff that is resistant to Gwen’s expanded perspective. The folks who write the stories are accustomed to Mitch’s tight control. They appreciate his clear and consistent guidance but also find him to often be quite demanding. Gwen is a source of concern for his editorial staff: will A.I. take over their jobs?
Here he is, meeting his wife, Joan, in Zurich. He sets up an appointment with Dr. Jung for the following Tuesday and spends the weekend enjoying some time away from work, joining Joan on a cruise around the beautiful Zurich lake. And then a trip to Interlochen on Monday.
Session One
Mitch is fresh, relaxed and ready to do work with Dr. Jung. He enters the richly textured office of Carl Jung and is created by an elderly man with warm eyes and rustic clothing (perfectly aligned with the culture of Switzerland). Mitch noticed that there was a large picture of Dr. Jung’s esteemed uncle on the wall next to a bookcase filled with books and a couple of small sculptures. There was also a bonsai tree located on a small table. Everything seemed to be a mixture of several cultures, including Asian.
Dr. Jung asked Mitch to sit in a comfortable chair and opens the conversation by asking Mitch to tell him why he traveled all the way to Switzerland for some assistance when there are many great people to converse with in the United States (there is considerable humor in this statement by Dr. Jung). Dr. Jung then paused as he reframed his question: “Tell me what is ruffling your psyche.” Mitch found this to be a curious way to frame the invitation to start working with Dr. Jung.
Convening Concerns
Mitch shares some basic information about his business and his desire to become more open and embracing of a relaxed leadership style. Mitch also mentions that he has traveled to Zurich because his wife, Joan, has found her time working with Dr. Jung and his associates to be of great value. Dr. Jung smiles and indicates that he has greatly appreciated the hard work that Mitch’s wife has been doing. Dr. Jung then became a bit stern and asked Mitch to provide more details regarding the real issues he was bringing to Zurich.
Mitch hesitated for a moment and then said that he has been struggling in particular with his Vice President of Production. This man has been with Mitch since he started his newspaper business 20 years ago. Their families are very close. His Production VP, Frank, has worked with him not only at the newspaper, setting up and running Mountain Times’ multiple presses, but also on the baseball field and basketball court as a fellow coach of youth teams. Frank has always been an innovator, having introduced robotics into the production process. However, he is now resisting the innovations brought into Western Times by Gwen, the new VP of Strategic Planning. These innovations primarily center on the introduction and significant expansion of the digital version of the Western Times newspapers.
There is considerable tension between Frank and Gwen, especially with the potential layoff of several members of Frank’s production team, because of a reduced printing of newspapers with an increase in production of digitalized versions of the newspaper. The “relaxed” leadership style relates in part to Mitch’s need to somehow take a different approach in working with both Frank and Gwen. Currently, he is very ‘un-relaxed” with Frank, his long-term friend and working colleague. His relationship with Frank is in deep trouble and it is hurting the morale of all the employees at Western Times.
