Written by Melissa Stone, Career Coach & HR Expert
Melissa Stone is an Irish Career Coach and leading HR Consultant with a passion for empowering individuals and organisations. Driven by a desire to make a significant impact, Melissa transitioned from her role as a Global HR Director to establishing her own career coaching and consulting firm.
In the fast-paced world of Leadership in 2024, understanding the psychological forces that drive not only the behaviour of a Leader, but the behaviour of their team, has become increasingly important. As an Executive Career Coach, I've seen firsthand how integrating psychodynamics into leadership development can transform not only the effectiveness of leaders, but the overall happiness and wellbeing of the individual.
So what is psychodynamics, and why should leaders be more aware of this in order to succeed?
Proposed by Freud, Psychodynamics considers how our unconscious processes (the things we do without conscious consideration, our fears and dreams that we may not be fully aware or conscious of), our past experiences (particularly during our childhood), and inner conflicts within us may impact our behavior and emotions.
And without any self-realization of how their feelings, beliefs, childhood experience and personality may be creating reoccurring patterns or challenges at work, a leader may find themselves reactive and unclear as to how to move beyond blocks or barriers to success, caused by their own action or inaction.
Essentially, the main goal of Leadership Psychodynamics is to help professionals to recognise self-defeating patterns of behavior or thinking and explore new and more helpful ways of achieving long-term career success as a Leader in their field.
Weaknesses of the psychodynamic approach
The psychodynamic approach is not without controversy or weakness. Reducing complex human behaviour to suggest that all behaviour has an underlying cause as a result of childhood or mindset overlooks other important elements, such as genetics and neuroanatomy, and in many ways suggests that behaviour is pre-determined, and people do not have free will.
As such, it is important as a Leader to find an Executive Coach who will work with you on a number of different approaches that not only deep dive the psychodynamic element, but also a person-centred approach which moves you beyond the potential cause or reason behind your behaviour and emotion, and focuses further on the conscious mind, the inner dialogue, and goal setting models that get you from where you are now to where you want to be.
4 key strengths of psychodynamics in leadership coaching
1. Exploring self-awareness and emotional intelligence (EQ)
Understanding unconscious biases, motivations, and emotional triggers in your management style through self-reflection is critical for not only long-term success in leading high performing teams, but in achieving greater emotional intelligence (EQ).
And given that people with a higher EQ are better at managing their own emotions and understanding those of others, we tend to see lower attrition, greater organizational commitment, and higher performance where this important self-reflection work has been done by the leader.
2. Managing conflict and building resilience
Leaders who understand psychodynamics are in a better position to understand the root cause of conflicts within their team, and by addressing underlying issues with tools they have learned through coaching, they can navigate such conflicts more effectively, promoting a culture of open communication and trust.
Psychodynamic principles also help leaders understand how and when their team members may be transferring fears, trauma, and experiences from past relationships and work experiences into their current environment. By recognizing these patterns (and feeling further empowered with the tools to navigate these challenges), Leaders can foster healthier, more constructive relationships with
individuals on their team.
3. Driving organizational change
Leading change through a collective positive and growth mindset can be one of the most challenging aspects of leadership. Psychodynamics offers insights into the resistance to change (within us as well as resistance of others), and leaders who grasp these psychological underpinnings can strategize and implement change initiatives that address their employees’ fears and anxieties, thereby reducing resistance and enhancing acceptance and cooperation.
4. Fostering a culture of continuous improvement
Senior professionals attuned to psychodynamics are better equipped to create environments that encourage continuous learning and improvement. By promoting self-reflection and open dialogue, Leaders can help their teams embrace growth and innovation.
How Executive Career Coaching Can Integrate Psychodynamics into Leadership Programs
Like all other approaches to Executive Coaching, Leadership Psychodynamic Coaching works by creating a safe and trusting environment, where the client freely expresses their fears, thoughts and feelings without judgement.
The aim of sessions should be to help the Leader find greater self-awareness and feel empowered with the tools they may need to resolve inner conflicts or unhelpful patterns of behaviour, improve self-confidence, and achieve long term fulfilment and success in their career.
Through leadership coaching, clients may
Complete assessments or questionnaires to help them to uncover unconscious motivations, beliefs or behaviours that hinder their progress
Consider concepts that focus on self-awareness, heightened emotional intelligence, and positive psychology
Deep dive Psychodynamic approaches and principles with other appropriate coaching models
Understand how to overcome blocks or challenges to move beyond subconscious driving patterns to consciously, and pro-actively, take control of their behaviour and emotions at work
Conclusion
As an Executive Career Coach who incorporates both positive psychology and psychodynamics into my programs, I have a unique opportunity to guide Leaders on their transformative journey, ultimately contributing to healthier, more effective organizations as well as mentally healthier and more fulfilled individuals.
By understanding and leveraging the power of psychodynamics and applying these principles to other models and coaching approaches, Executive Career Coaching can help Leaders to unlock their full potential and lead with empathy, resilience, and insight.
Melissa Stone, Career Coach & HR Expert
Melissa Stone is an Irish Career Coach and leading HR Consultant with a passion for empowering individuals and organisations. Driven by a desire to make a significant impact, Melissa transitioned from her role as a Global HR Director to establishing her own career coaching and consulting firm. Her unique approach combines positive psychology and insights with practical strategies, guiding clients to achieving the level of success they want and deserve.
