By contrast, the third entity is considered very much alive in the British School. There is no need to set the rules or find meaning in the relationship or group. The rules and meaning have already been established via the unconscious dynamics that operate in the relationship or group. One might try to change these rules and be explicit about the meaning—but this is not always easy, given the power and complexity of the unconscious dynamics. Thus, in the American school one must work hard to establish the third entity, whereas in the British school one must work hard to influence and change this third entity.
These differing perspectives lead to quite different notions about the focus of any intervention at an interpersonal or group level. The American school focuses on establishing or changing the relationship—and, in particular, the processes inherent in the relationship. The British school focuses on the structures of the relationship and on the unconscious processes that establish stability in the relationship.
Put simply, the American school begins with the assumption of internal locus within the individual participant in a relationship, whereas the British school assumes an external locus (dynamics existing in the third entity). The Continental school also assumes an external locus of control, with the dynamics in a relationship being strongly influenced by the economic and political context within which the relationship exists. This puts Quad One at the heart of the American school, while it plays a more peripheral role in the British and Continental schools.
Organizational Learning
In recent years, the focus on Quad One in the American school has been aligned with the theme of organizational learning. We are smart learners in an organizational setting when we acknowledge (Q1) and learn from our errors. We are stupid when we fail to acknowledge (Q3) and when other people are afraid to let us know (Q2) about our errors. As a result of being stupid, we repeatedly make the same mistake. There is no learning. We can’t avoid making mistakes in a postmodern world of complexity, unpredictability and turbulence. However, we can choose to learn from these mistakes and thereby reduce their reoccurrence.
