Jung, Shadow, Archetypes, & MBTI

• scapegoating in organizations by kevin smith, 2/17/98
  
  

Hello and thank you for your reference. I'm a bookaholic so this will serve that demon quite well!

Its wonderful to come across another individual interested in Jung's theories and OD work. Have you read any of Carol Pearson's books on archetypes (e.g. Heros Within, Awakening the Heros Within)? I met some internal OD specialists at a Leadership & Type (personality type) conference who had used these concepts and the archetypal hero's journey model in organizations. They had Pearson's co-author or perhaps the author of the forward facilitate the workshops and reported that it was a great success.

Perhaps you could design your own workshop/intervention where the members of a group/division/organization etc. identify the explicit and implicit archetypes they experience in their environment to introduce the concept in a non-threatening manner. Off the top of my head, you could try the following:

1. Draw a circle sectioned into parts of the journey (Innocent/Orphan/Healer/Warrior/Magician etc.)on newsprint.

2. Describe the characteristics, behaviors, attitudes associated with each archetype (or use storytelling).

3. Have participants mark the top 3 which they experience or perceive "explicitely" with a blue pen.

4. Have particpant mark the top 3 which they experience or perceive "implicitely" with a black pen.

5. Tally up and have a discussion on findings.

NOW--Bring in Shadow!

Each archetype has its dark- and light-shadow forms. For example, the dark-shadow Magician may manifest as manipulative motivational practices. The bright-shadow Magician may manifest as that gung-ho manager who can turn any opportunity into business (regardless of if the organization can actually perform the service or not). Breifly describe the shadow characteristics. Then you can try any of the following:

6. Have small groups break up and discuss how they see the shadow aspects of their identified archetypes manifest.

7. Have a large group discussion of the same (more risky).

8. Look at the archetypal images that received the fewest votes and examine if those areas are manifesting as shadow (very likely).

9. Combine with Johari Window exercise to examine how to bring the hidden, blind, and unknown (shadow archetypal behaviors and characteristics) into the open (consious journey towards wholeness).

I just made all this up. If anyone tries it out let me know how it turns out! :-).

I also would like to share with you a new approach to using the MBTI to open discussions and learning about individual and organizational development and shadow potential.

I use a depth and experiential approach to MBTI based on Jung's original theory of personality type. My mentor, Leona Haas, who developed the methodology will be publishing the facilitators manual for an 8 hour workshop through Consulting Psychologists Press in the near future and I have published an interpretive guide for one-on-one feedback and small group mini-workshops.

The approach includes the following:

1. Participants are introduced to Jung's theory (briefly) to clarify that the MBTI only provides insights into a persons preferences for Perceiving or seeing the world, making decisions, and energy flow.

2. Perceiving (Sensing & Intuiting) and Judging (Thinking & Feeling) are described as innate Mental Functions that we develop skill in using over time.

3. Mental Functions are expressed in a particular attitude (introverting or extraverting) and we typically have a dynamic energy balance so we extravert one function and introvert another.

4. Introverting and Extraverting (I/E) are defined as flows of energy SPECIFICALLY ASSOCIATED with a METNAL FUNTION. According to Jung, no person is simply introverting or extraverting pure and simple. Their dominant mental function is expressed in THEIR preferred attitude and their secondary mental function in expressed in their Non-preferred attitude.

5. Perceiving Experiential Exercises: Participants do quick exercises with an apple or orange to experience the FOUR perceiving mental functions--Sensing in the extraverting attitude (Se), Sensing in the introverting attitude (Si), iNtuiting in the extraverted attitude (Ne), and iNtuiting in the introverted attitude (Ni).

NOTE: These four mental functions manifest very differently. This distinction helps people understand why they often didn't agree with the steriotype often associated with MBTI feedback. "Oh, you're a Sensor. You're one of those detail oriented people!". Sure, maybe a person who prefers Se IF the perceived object is of interest. But most people who prefer Si report that they hate having to be accountable for details. Their orientation is towards the subjective impression of the object, not the objective concrete facts associated with the objet.

Also Se does not necessarily mean you have an "E" at the beginning of your type code. It works as follows:

Se = SP (ala ISTP, ESFP)

Si = SJ

Ne = NP

Ni = NJ (ala ENFJ, INTJ)

Te = TJ (ala ISTJ,ENTJ)

Ti = TP

Fe = FJ

Fi = FP (ala ENFP, ISFP)

The I/E scale just points to the dominant mental function.

6. Once individuals self-select one of the four, like groups go to flip charts for a group activity. They are asked to report their perceptions of an object (same item, don't say "describe"!). Then the distinctions between the four become very clear! (Requires knowledgeable facilitator.)

Se= Concrete details, practical, objective, precise, here & now time orientation. Si= Personal impression, general details, comparison to past -experience, past to present time orientation. Ne= New uses and possibilities associated with things/people in the external world, near future perspective. Ni=Abstract, symbols, meaning, potential, strategic vision, infinte time orientation.

7. Do the same with decision making--Te, Ti, Fe, Fi. Group activity is based on comming up with decision making criteria for something like selecting 10 people for a division to lay-off.

8. Discuss where group is missing perspective (all Te, Ti, no Fe or Fi represented, etc.).

9. Then we show how each functions manifests in the psyche (model of development based on research by Grant and Beebe).

For example, my preferences for INFJ theoretically manifests in the following organization:

Ni (approximate development ages 6-12)

Fe (ages 13-20)

Ti (ages 21-35)

~~~~~~~~~~relative boundary of conscious/unconsious. (natural integration 55+)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ne

Fi

10. A predominant type in an organization typically makes up the organization's cultural personality.

11. Anything below the fourth function has the potential to manifest as shadow.

12. The goal is to engage in a conscious process of developing and accepting the less preferred functions and thereby diminishing the potential for shadow eruptions.

Well, I know this is a mouthfull but it is so powerful that I want people to become aware of the potential. I can refere you to the following books to get a solid grounding in the eight mental functions and how they manifest as shadow:

Sharp, D. (1987). Peronality Types: Jung's Model of Typology. Toronto, Canada: Inner City Books.

Spoto, A. (1995). Jung's Typology in Perspective. Wilmette, IL: Chiron Publications.

Myers, K. and Kirby, L. (1994). Introduction to Type Dynamics and Development. Palo Alto, CA: CPP.

and for great stuff on shadow:

Harding, M. E. (1965). The I and the Not I. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

If you'd like to discuss this in more depth or would like to receive papers I've written on the 8 functions--such as Type Biases in the Harvard Principled Negotiation Method, Introverted Sensing & Organizational Culture--or have interest in a decision making model based on the 8 functions, please e-mail me at cmcaro@bigfoot.com.

Thanks for the airtime!

Christina Caro Principal, Tioga Outlook Sr. Associate, CSC

• Jung Shadow and OD by kevin smith, 2/24/98