Multi-phrenia
Dr. Jung notes that these lists tend to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the ENFP and INFP personality types. The strategic planning folks appreciate his openness to new ideas, while the Production Department does not appreciate his love of new technologies. And the Finance department do not appreciate his apparent indifference to the facts (money/bottom line). The Sales and Marketing division see the more introverted side of Mitch, as a driven, bottom-line-driven person (just the opposite of how Finance sees him). The production division also see Mitch as hard-driving; however, they might, in addition, see Mitch as dedicated and committed as expressed in his hard-work and ultimate support for their work (perhaps more of an expression of Mitch’s extraversion).
At this point, Dr. Jung pauses so that Mitch can absorb all (or at least some of) the insights being offered. Mitch shakes his head and declares: “No wonder I am lost when I comes to leading this damned organization!! I am a multi-headed “’monster’ that is being feared in many ways.” Dr. Jung breaks in: “You are also being loved and respected in many different ways.” The challenge of leadership, Dr. Jung suggests, resides in an acceptance of this diversity of perspectives regarding oneself. “Ken Gergen is an author I appreciate. He writes about a psychological ailment that afflicts most of us in contemporary life. This ailment is “multi-phrenia.” While “schizophrenia” refers to the splitting of self, multi-phrenia refers to holding onto many different selves. You are suffering from multi-phrenia. And there is no pill to be taken that cures this condition!”
Mitch sits quietly for several minutes. Dr. Jung then shifts his analysis to a deeper level:
Mitch, you have identified important attributes and behaviors that reside at the surface of our psyche—or more accurately as the surface of psyches among your employees. You don’t know for sure that this is how other people see you; you are only able to infer what you think they are seeing and thinking. During one of our future sessions I would like us to consider how the culture and climate of your organization and the subunits of your organization are influencing perceptions of you.
Dr. Jung brings the session to a close by suggesting that Mitch reflect on the list he has offered and look for deeper patterns in how people in his organization see him.
Session Four
It has been raining all day in Zurich. When Mitch arrives at Dr. Jung’s office, he is offered a steaming cup of strong Swiss coffee. While Mitch usually prefers tea, he accepts Dr. Jung’s offer and sips on the cup of freshly brewed coffee. Before Mitch has a chance to share some of his ideas about the underlying patterns to be found on his list, Dr. Jung indicates that he wants to take Mitch on a psychological journey. And suggests that this journey will relate directly to the list Mitch has prepared and to patterns he might have discovered. Dr. Jung indicates that he is going to do a bit of lecturing during the coming hour, so hopes that the coffee will keep Mitch awake! They both laugh. Dr. Jung begins. . .
Psychic Theater
Dr. Jung indicates that he is about to shift the level of analysis:
“At this point, I want to dig deeper into the perceptions you have identified. In many instance, the descriptions being offered represent just the tip of the iceberg. There are layers of representation, images and feelings that reside below the surface. They often have a powerful, unacknowledged impact on the way members of an organization relate to one another, and, in particular, to their leaders. One might even conceive of an unconscious theater operating in organization, with a wide variety of “actors” playing our important roles in this theater. Most importantly, members of the organization often do not realize that they have assigned roles in this theater to one another. An older gentleman in the organization is assigned the role of caring father. That long-suffering assistant to the president is assigned the role of nurturing mother.”
