In the 18th Century, Robert Burns penned the line “O wad some Power the giftie gie us, to see ourselves as others see us!” Or, in modern English, “What if we had the gift of feedback to see ourselves as others do?”
This idea is at the centre of personal development and growth: How do we learn about our impact, how do we ask for feedback, how do we self-reflect? This selection of tools and frameworks will enable you to start to think about this in ways that can support and grow strengths and to identify areas for personal change.
Resource: Transactional Analysis
It has always been our belief that if we each take responsibility for our impact and are honest enough to hear feedback then we can grow as people and as leaders. Transactional Analysis helps us to understand our responses to the communication and behaviours of others and to reflect on why we respond the way that we do.
We can all get hooked by the communication and behaviours of others, especially if they reconnect with old patterns of behaviour. To develop as people, whatever our role, we need to minimise the impact of the assumptions that we have about others, maximise listening, and importantly maximise the impact of our personal communication.
In the early 1950s, Dr. Eric Berne developed a theory about personality development tied to communication, which he called ‘Transactional Analysis’ (TA). It is a very useful and fascinating framework for analysing the behaviour of both ourselves and other people.
Useful for
- Identifying personal preferences, how much time is spent in each of the ‘ego states’, and what the impact is on us and on others
- Exploring and recording what types of behaviour and communication you respond well to and what types of behaviour and communication ‘pushes your buttons’
- Planning a challenging conversation, thinking about the players and the potential communication patterns, enabling you to get to your Adult place and use the type of language that is likely to enable you to get the best outcome
Resource: Transactional Analysis
Helpful additional information
- Complete the questionnaire and book a conversation by email: [email protected]
Resource: Map of Influence
This is ostensibly a ‘White Piece of Paper’ having considered everything you know at this point – your experience as an AHP, the area that you work in and the wider Board – visually represent your current network of influence on a sheet of flipchart paper.
This should include information on connections that are important in the implementation of Connecting People, Connecting Support and show where you have influence and where you need to have more influence. It might be helpful to think about who is in your circle of influence and who is in your circle of concern.
Hear Fiona talking about Elaine Hunter’s map of influence.
Useful for
- Mapping your position in the complexity of organisational life
- Seeing the patterns of where you have influence and where you need to develop your influence
- Identifying who your allies are that can reach out and support you to extend your influence
Resource: Map of Influence
Helpful additional information
Listen to Stephen Covey talking about Circle of Influence
Resource: Push Me Pull Me Questionnaire
Push is more about moving or forcing someone to change rather than motivating them to want to make the change. Push styles tend to involve the ‘stick and carrot’ approach. They can be effective in achieving compliance and possibly quick results but may not achieve commitment.
Pull is generally about motivating the individual to want to change and engage. They tend to involve personal disclosure, involvement and showing the possibilities that will result from change.
They tend to work on decreasing the forces or rationale against change. Pull styles can be effective in gaining commitment and high quality, but they may be slower in achieving results.
Useful for
- Identifying your preferences and patterns when it comes to how you influence people
- Connecting this information to your Transactional Analysis scores
- Reflecting on specific situations where you need to improve your influencing
Resource: Push Me Pull Me
Helpful additional information
Watch this short video about the Science of Persuasion