Organizational Change and the Analytic Third: Locating and Attending to Unconscious Organizational Psychodynamics

Abstract

This article examines the concept of the analytic third in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytically informed organizational change. The analytic third is often defined as the psychological (triangular) space between self and other, subject and object, fantasy and reality -the third dimension that emerges from two persons fully engaged in the exploration of unconscious meanings, reasons, motives and actions. In neo-Kleinian object relations, it is viewed as the intersubjective dimension of transference and counter-transference, or the emergence in analytic work of the observation and experience of ''I-as-subject'' and ''Me-as-object'' (Ogden, 1994). The analytic third is what we create when we make genuine contact with one another at a deeper emotional level of experience whether in dyads, groups, communities, or organizations. It might be understood as akin to but not synonymous with Winnicott's (1971) notion of the transitional and potential space, where culture, play, creativity and imagination, reside. A case illustration is provided to better articulate the nature of the analytic third in the processes of observing, participating, and intervening in organizations.

Executive coaching in diversity from the systems psychodynamic perspective

“…The collaborative nature of the organisational role analysis approach, with its emphasis on generating hypotheses (Newton et al, 2006) stimulated interest and curiosity in uncovering deeper layers of meaning (Brunning, 2006). Within the reflective and contained space that the coaching provided (Diamond, 2007;Kilburg, 2004), the executives were more willing to process their learning about intrapsychic, interpersonal and systemic factors, transferential and counter-transferential processes, defence mechanisms and using the self as an instrument. They were also more willing to shift from the paranoidschizoid position to the depressive one (Klein, 1997) and to take risks on behalf of their organisations.…”

“…An important task of coaches is to provide safe (Lee, 2010) and holding (Winnicott, 1965) environments to facilitate reflective containment (Diamond, 2007;Kilburg, 2000). Key aspects of containment include a formal agreement, boundary conditions, information exchanges (Diamond, 2007), deep listening, reliability and openness (Huffington et al, 2004).…”

“…Key aspects of containment include a formal agreement, boundary conditions, information exchanges (Diamond, 2007), deep listening, reliability and openness (Huffington et al, 2004). As a behavioural process, projective identification provides containment when coaches accept the clients' projections and holds them until they are ready to explore them (Huffington et al, 2004).…”

“…Ethical considerations centred on issues of privacy, confidentiality and transparency about using the data, as Rowley (2004) advocated. Trust, respect, mutual consent and signed contracts were important for ensuring ethical engagements between the researcher and the participants (Diamond, 2007).…”

The space of reflection: thirdness and triadic relationships in family therapy

“…In contemporary post‐Kleinian and intersubjective traditions, theorizing the oedipal triangle has been transformed into less concrete understandings of what might constitute foundational threes, and the importance of symbolic thirdness in thinking about and relating to the self and the other has emerged. There is a rich field of theory about thirdness (see, for example, the overview given in Diamond, ) and I will select just two areas of this theory – Ronald Britton's concept of the triangular space of thinking, and selected themes on thirdness from Jessica Benjamin's work in intersubjectivity theory.…”