Thursday 15 May 2008

Organisational Constellations

The constellation process :
Integration in the 5 ‘Relationship’ model of Petruska Clarkson

1. The Working alliance

When setting up a constellation it is necessary for everyone involved to be willing participants. They need to be prepared to be actively involved in a process that will require experimentation.
This is the working alliance, coming together (The first element of the ‘5 Relationship’ model).

The 5 elements of ‘Relationship’ are at the core of all work undertaken by
Mind Gliding* . Mind Gliding is a relationship catalyst. It is the enzyme that optimises performance in businesses or with individuals. Once the working alliance has been agreed, it provides the secure foundation to explore an issue that has been identified by a group member.

When the constellation is in place, the person who has set up the constellation then steps back, away from being ‘entangled’ in the current dynamic. Observation of the constellation will gain a new perspective and awareness of what is currently happening: the benefit from super-vision.

2. What is obstructing and preventing development and progress.

Once a secure environment has been established, it is the possible to explore and experiment.The exploration involves setting up a living representation of a current issue, including all the emotional entanglements that are part of that set of circumstances.

This highlights the second element of ‘Relationship’ - What is obstructing and preventing development and progress. By creating an externalised, physical representation of what is happening, the challenges become more apparent, opening the way to experiment with creative solutions.

3. Identifying how to move forward in a way that benefits all concerned

The third element of ‘Relationship’ - Identifying how to move forward in a way that benefits all concerned - provides an opportunity for those involved in the constellation to move into creative experimentation with different ways of interacting.The results and outcomes of the experiments will provide an intuitive indication of how to move towards a desired outcome.

4. Identifying an ideal way of operating and being together.

These intuitive indications can be translated into practical everyday useable reality and create an increased awareness of the fourth element of ‘Relationship’ - Identifying an ideal way of operating and being together.

5. How to maintain and sustain an optimum state

Having arrived at this, those involved can take the experiential learning gained from the constellation to move onto the fifth element of ‘Relationship’ - How to maintain and sustain an optimum state- : This optimum state (or optimum balance) of operating that fully embodies the previously identified ideal way of operating and being together. When an optimum configuration is arrived at, the person who set up the original constellation places them self back into the newly configured constellation to experience the resolution. ¶


* Mind Gliding Ltd :
We are Business Psychologists. We deliver Management Development Programmes to key people who carry managerial responsibility within businesses and organisations. These programmes provide an innovative approach to management training as it is linked to personal development within the managerial role.