Depth Leadership Skills

A FIVE DAY COURSE

To be announced Course cost: R11500 per person including VAT, course textbook and refreshments

 To book: Contact Mariette on [email protected]

COURSE INTRODUCTION

This course is for leaders who want to integrate a depth approach into their leadership work. Such an approach is based on the idea that human behaviour is determined not only by conscious thought and feeling, but also by a wellspring of thoughts, feelings and potential stored in the unconscious mind.  This course offers comprehensive insight into the application of depth psychology principles and practices to leadership. Anyone who leads a group (whether a formal organisational group or even an informal social group) will benefit as a participant.  Depth psychology solves chronic problems and helps to unleash the full potential of individuals and groups.  The course assists leaders in their processes of becoming “wise” counsellors or “elders”, by developing their ability to employ an ethical attitude which takes into account the well-being of all parts of the system, including the unspoken or unconscious parts.   In particular, this course helps leaders to address some of the following persistent problems in groups and organisations:

• Consistent failure to achieve objectives
• Power plays in groups
• Perpetual unhealthy team relationships
• Chronic absenteeism, low morale and poor performance
• Repeated incidents that indicate an intolerance for diversity, manifesting as racism, sexism or other types of discrimination
• Gossip and other undermining behaviours in teams
• A lack of buy-in for change processes
• Persistent people difficulties after mergers and acquisitions
• Recurrent conflict between individuals or groups
• Untapped creative potential

COURSE OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, the participant will have acquired an overview of global leadership trends and an overview of the “depth” leadership approach which attends to the human individual and collective psyche, as well as the well-being of the environment. In addition, the course offers a comprehensive introduction to depth leadership theory and practice in four related areas:

1. Self management and intrapersonal depth leadership theory and practice to ensure the full development of the leader’s psyche.
2. Interpersonal and relationship depth leadership theory and practice to ensure sound relationships.
3. Group depth leadership theory and practice to help create, manage and when necessary, effectively intervene in group psychodynamic processes.
4. Systemic depth leadership theory and practice to ensure that there is ecologically sound integration with the larger system.

COURSE TOPICS

The course topics are divided into theory and practice and are listed below:

Topics	Theory	Practice
Leadership trends	Overview of global leadership trendsSchools of psychology and their place in current leadership thinking Emerging versus planned organisational change processes	Selecting your leadership approachInvestigating and consolidating your leadership assumptions Establishing your leadership identity
The discipline of depth psychology	Key principles of “depth” psychologyA brief history of depth psychology Key differences within the discipline The architecture of the individual psyche The logic of the psyche The conscious / unconscious split Intrapsychic conflict The role of anxiety and defense mechanisms Complexes Repetition compulsion The role of trauma The architecture of the group psyche Group anxiety and defense mechanisms Surface and depth processes in groups The role of symbolism	The implications of this approach for your leadershipPsycho-education Managing the risk of “depth” work
Self depth leadership	Leadership psychodynamicsThe costs and benefits of inner work Anxiety and emotional management Healthy and unhealthy defense mechanisms Transference and counter-transference The self-care system Repetition compulsion Rank and responsibility Leadership metaskills	Self awareness and deep reflectionArchaeology of the individual psyche Inner work practices Managing transference and counter-transference Developing rank awareness and managing personal rank Developing metaskills
Interpersonal depth leadership	The group “psyche”, or the group-as-a-wholePrinciples of integrated relationships Archetypes in the group psyche Psychodynamic patterns in relationships Rank and power in relationships The impact of intrapsychic conflict on relationships	Developing cognitive and emotional empathySetting and managing psychological boundaries Mirroring and listening Changing psychodynamic patterns Managing rank differences Confrontation Apology, forgiveness, reconciliation Conflict resolution in relationships
Group depth leadership	A psychodynamic view of group behaviourThe nature of the collective unconscious Group stories and metaphors Power and diversity dynamics in groups Group developmental and defensive processes Relationship building Catharsis in groups Polarisation and group conflict Scapegoating processes Reconciliation	Analysing and interpreting group psychodynamicsIdentifying the group story and metaphors Guidelines for psychodynamic interventions Managing depth processes Managing meaning in groups Managing transformation processes
System’s depth leadership	Nature and the psycheSystems’ structure and psychodynamics Stakeholder impacts	Managing community impactsManaging ecological impacts Ensuring systems’ integration