Using Archetypes for Personal & Professional Performance Improvement

Editor's Notes

• #2: Thank you James. It’s great to have so many join us today… from the list it look like we have people up very late Sydney … taking a late lunch break in the middle east, and up very early in New York … if there’s anyone from the West coast you must be crazy or an insomnia, but you are most welcome.So let me firstlyclarify what I’m seeking to achieve in our time togetherAnd put this in black and white…
• #3: This session will introduce you to …An angle on self-development that is very effective at getting to the root of performance issues - both at home and at workIt’s a method that encapsulates an individual’s values, beliefs, drives, motivations, behaviours, communications stylesand relationships with othersIt’s an approach that works for everyone on earth: every race, creed, colour, language, culture and profession.
• #4: The approach I’m presenting today is known as…TEAM MEAnd it’s founded on an understanding of what Carl Jung called ‘Archetypes’.
• #5: So, what can you expect from this hour together?I want to pack everything I possiblycan into this hour… so this is what we’ll cover…In this hour you will …Define your Personal Archetypes Profile You will Better understand why you do what you do (and why you often don’t do what you should do!) You will get to Understand the shadow side of each Archetype; their overheated and frozen states You will Discover powerful relationship dynamics between various ArchetypesAnd then, at the end… you will Have an opportunity to download a free audio MP3 that dramatically portrays each of the Archetypes we’re going to be looking at today.>>
• #6: But let’s start by reviewing what an Archetype actually is…By their very nature Archetypes are highly subjective - and so different people, psychologists, teachers etc. use various words to help them define what they really are. >>Are they the Roles we play in life? Characters we take on? Are they just symbols or metaphors that merely help us understand an idea. Are they separate personalities? Are they Mental or spiritual…or both? Are they part of us… or in some way outside of us?For my part, I believe that archetypes exist on every plain of existence, but I don’t see them as external entities that we should be calling upon, (soI must admit I don’t adhere to the shamanic teachings that encourage us to contact archetypal spirits .) Rather I see Archetypes as patterns of thinking that embody aspects of our character within us; different facets or dimensions of who we really are. But whatever your take on this, the vast majority of teachings on Archetypes do all seem to agree 2 essential factors that every archetype must include. >>They must be Unconscious – and when we try to make them conscious we usually end up using metaphors to describe them. They must also beUniversal – recognised in every race, culture, creed, language, geog’ location… and across every period of history.Let’s take a brief tour through time and review some of the teachings of a few key influencers and thought leaders in this area … >>
• #7: So here’s a very brief history of Archetypes.Back in 400 BC Plato postulated that men were born with ‘ideas’ or ‘forms’ that were imprinted into them by the gods before they were born.These ‘mental constructs’ were seen not just as a form of inspiration but as the moulders of character.Whilst the term Archetype was used by Philo of Alexandria hundreds of years later, we should probably leap forward a couple of Millennia after Plato’s time when a certain Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung sat down with cigar, pipe and a very large pot of tea to discuss the presence of certain character-types that several of their patients seemed to share in their dreams. Like Plato, Jung was convinced these patterns of thought originated from somewhere *outside* of the individual – as if there was a common pool of knowledge that everyone related to and could share.Jung soon enough identified a number of these concepts and used Philo’s term ‘Archetypes’ define them. They included;the Mother, The Enemy, the Trickster, the Innocent… and defined several further ones over time. A number of significant teachers have built upon Jungian thought, Joseph Campell and his ‘Hero’s Journey’ and then in the 60’s and 70’s Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette focused on 4 key archetypes that they saw as vital in masculine identity.Several other authors, including Carol Pearson have identified 12 Archetypes (some clearly Jungian, others appearing with different name and characteristics), some have identified 49 archetypes …and the world-renowned Caroline Myss has defined no less than 125 Archetypes. Again, I’ll say that there are things some of these authors state about archetypes that I really don’t agree with. The human psyche is a deep and complicated thing with many dimensions, layers and levels. Being so vast and under-explored, it’s no surprise to find that there are many approaches, and people have created very different maps of this territory.My own journey of discovery has led me to focus upon a small number of Archetypes that seem to be very useful in helping people gain significant improvements in their personal and professional performance. >>Call me simple if you wish but I like to work with a six-pack… half a dozen foundational characters that make up my personal A-Team. These we’ll be reviewing in just a moment. Of course it was Carl Jung who defined the 16 personality types made famous in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. I believe MBTI can be a valuable tool but I have found that Archetypes are much more accessible and memorable for those I’ve been coaching.Now, I’d like to get a better understanding of who YOU are… so James if we can do a quick POLL…POLL 1Have you:Never looked into Archetypes before?Studied Archetypes but only from a theoretical viewpoint?Used Archetypes in teaching, coaching, therapy, etc.?
• #8: So let me now introduce the 6 Archetypes that form the foundation of the TEAM ME approach:>> First we hav the The Sovereign (King or Queen)Taking responsibility and assuming command are key traits of the Sovereign. Confident of their innate authority and their position of power, they direct the affairs of their realm to bring order and prosperity. They leverage the strengths and gifts of others in their team who can action the strategies that they create and communicate. The Sovereign thinks that life is all about: having the power to establish order, justice and prosperity for all.>>Then The Warrior Warriors take action and accomplish missions. They overcome challenges by using appropriate strength and determination, and are responsible for ensuring boundaries are enforced. They are skilled, capable and competitive; they stand up for themselves, are expressive and passionate, and prefer to work without too many dependencies on other people.The Warrior thinks that life is all about: getting the job done – and done right.>>Next The Sage Clear understanding and factual insight mark the contribution of the Sage. Like Solomon of old, they esteem wisdom and knowledge; regarding learning as a vital part of everyday life. They are logical and astute and will search out the evidence until they arrive at the truth.The Sage thinks that life is all about: continual learning and gaining superior, accurate knowledge.>>Next The Mystic Mystics are very good at bringing transformation and managing change. Valuing faith, belief and dreams, they use their energy, charisma and an uncommon knowledge to influence people and situations. In this way they can be very powerful but they would rarely have the means to act by force or through raw authority. Their detached viewpoint and awareness of the ‘bigger picture’ makes them stable during crises and good at mediation. They don’t mind things being a bit ambiguous and they often have a rather different view of the best path ahead. Sometimes they will challenge or even break the rules. The Mystic thinks that life is all about: making dreams come true.>>Then The Lover Lovers are trusting and open, even with people they’ve only recently encountered. They love creative expression and believe everyone has an intrinsic value. They nurture and seek harmony in every situation.Valuing relationships and connection, Lovers are not just the Romeos and Juliets of the world; they are those whose primary focus is on other people. The Lover thinks that life is all about: connection and harmony.and finally… >>The Jester The Jester excels at finding the funny side to any situation. Refusing to get too serious, they share their light-hearted view of life with those around them – though not all would find this welcome. They are colourful and playful, determined to live life like it’s a game – boredom, rigidity and monotony will often spur them into action.The Jester thinks that life is all about: making things fun.Now, having heard each of these descriptions. We’re now going to take a moment to define our own personal archetypes profiles>>
• #9: Whatever you’re doing right now, if it’s safe to do so, here’s your opportunity to define which archetypes are presently influencing you and shaping your character the most.If you were attending a workshop, I’d give you a long list of questions that would establish this a bit more scientifically, but we can get a pretty clear idea things by drawing a very simple diagram and plotting our perception of these things at a gut-level.Get a paper and pen and simply draw a vertical line on the left of the page with 10 at the top, 0 at the bottomThen draw a horizontal line from left to right on a level with zeroSpaced evenly in a row underneath this horiz line write the names of each of the 6 archetypes: the Sove, Warrior, Sage…Now that you’ve heard me describe each character, all you do is indicate how strong you think each one is in your life – how much of the Sovereign, the Sage, the Mystic etc do you We just need a number from 0 to 10 for each one – Now, I’d warned JAMES that I might do this with him live to give everyone a real-life demonstration…<PLOT EACH - DESCRIPTIONS READY>Are you happy with what you see?So immediately it’s clear that LEFT/RIGHT BrainFocus on the Past/Present/FutureWhat makes you most effective is firstly Power/Passion/PersceptionFind an admiration/attraction to ……………..Is there any area you’d like to see developed further?... Or brought down a bit?Do you feel there ….Would ask further questions about those in your team, your boss, your significant relationships etc…
• #10: So, as I mentioned with James. There is a clear division between the Archetypes that are more Left Brain and those that are more Right Brain in their thinking.The Left Brain Sov, Sage and Warrior are more focused on following the correct procedures and have a higher need for CertaintyThe Right brainLover, Mystic and Jester are more focused on have a higher need for Variety
• #11: A few months ago I interviewed a lady who worked as an educational manager in the UK prison service. It became clear that she felt she was a little too strong on the Warrior side and needed to develop her Lover a lot more. Dealing daily with adult offenders requires the continual reinforcement of boundaries, so the Warrior is rightly the archetype that you’d expect her to bring to the fore. Yet it was also clear that she felt she was losing touch with her nurturing nature and wanted to reclaim it; believing that those under her care would benefit from the more understanding and supportive facets of her temperament. What was also interesting to note is that this lady had two academic degrees – which would make her pretty bright by most peoples’ standards - and yet when she completed her archetype profile she gave herself a score of only 2 or 3 for the Sage. I asked her why she gave herself such a low score in this area when she had two degrees. She answered, “Oh you don’t need to be very bright (like a Sage) to get a degree - you just have to be determined and keep at it until it’s done.” That’s the talk of a Warrior, of course.When I did this exercise with the owner of growing property company in Portugal, it became very clear to her why she was feeling completely drained at the end of each day. The role she’d assumed was demanding far more than she was able, or ever would be able, to give. She could also immediately identify the type of person she needed to hire to handle the work she hated and saw the huge opportunity there was before her to play to her real strengths; focusing upon networking and client management, where she knew she would be far more effective.
• #12: As you get more and more familiar with archetypes you might begin to discern another vital dynamic that is very common between people; because each of these archetypes has a complementary opposite.
• #13: You might have noticed in everyday life that someone who is predominantly led by the archetype of the Lover >> (who has a strong desire for connection and harmony), often seems to be drawn to someone who strongly exhibits the Warrior archetype (who seeks challenge and competition). This might initially be completely unexpected as, on the surface of things, their values and preferences are really at odds with each other. But here we should remember the old adage that ‘opposites attract’. When we look at these Archetypes, this saying certainly holds true. Likewise >> the Sovereign knows that she can make things happen by her mere command - utilising her position of authority - yet she has an admiration for the Mystic who is also able to make things happen but does so, almost magically, through his belief and influence. Finally, >>The Sage may often not ‘suffer fools gladly’ yet he can appreciate the perceptive wit of the Jester and benefit from the light-hearted approach to life that he brings. And equally, the mature Jester secretly esteems the Sage for his deep understanding and insight, and also respects his recognition that certain things in life do need to be taken seriously.
• #14: Then, let’s look at how each character gets things done - their typical or preferred mode of operation … here we discover that …The Sovereign and Mystic get things done through their Power.The Warrior and Lover get things done through their Passion.The Sage and Jester get things done through their Perception.
• #15: Let’s look at a few more of these common threads that create a magnetic force between these archetypal opposites….Get them talking about TIME and you’ll find further common themes…
• #16: Focus upon….
• #17: These dynamics play a significant role in interpersonal relationships; affecting couples, teams and leaders … and providing not a few ideas for the script-writers of modern movies and popular sitcoms. -------------------------QUESTIONSNow that we’ve explored these archetypes in some detail – can you identify any of them as characters in some of the major movies of the last few decades? Send your thoughts through now…If you need a clue think of Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Gladiator, King Arthur, teletubbies…----------------------ANSWERS COME IN_______________NOW…There’s another side to this whole Archetypal story that we ought to explore… a darker side … that we’d do well to understand…
• #19: each of these archetypes also has a dark side; a characteristic set of negative behaviours that can cause real damage to both the individual and those within their circle of influence. It is often said that someone’s greatest strength is also their greatest weakness and this phenomenon can be predicted very specifically for each archetype.This dark side will often arise with the purpose of meeting our personal needs as rapidly as possible, often when we are stressed or fearful, and it will manifest itself in two broad ways; either as too much of an archetype’s traits, or too little of it.If you can imagine each archetype being measured by its own thermometer, you can probably grasp the idea of there being a moderate zone of temperature that would represent the healthy, mature archetypal traits we’ve discussed thus far. But if the temperature rises above this zone, we’d say this character is now getting overheated; >>and, equally, if the temperature dropped too low, the same character would become frozen, >> inactive and stifled in its expressionSo, let’s combine what we’ve been reviewing so far and group together some descriptions that sum up each of the key archetypes; including their characteristic mature, overheated and frozen states.(As you read through each, ask yourself if you recognise anyone in your family, college or place of work who reflects any of these characteristics. )
• #20: Starting this time with the WarriorIn his Balanced & Mature stateCourageous, action-orientated, confident, competitive, enforces boundaries, finishes the job, direct, determined, disciplined, loyal and dependable. Faces and pushes through pain. >>When Overheated: he becomes The SavageHostile, compulsive, volatile, impatient, abusive, defiant, inflexible, can’t stand losing. Hates to see weakness in others. Creates strife, bullying, loves to fight and cause pain. Makes mountains from mole-hills. Obsessive doer. >>When Frozen: he becomes The VictimGives way under pressure, avoids pain, avoids any kind of conflict. ‘Anything for a quiet life’. Sloppy and ineffective with work. Can’t finish tasks: can’t say ‘no’. Always procrastinating, finding reasons not to take action... or even make a decision.
• #21: SovereignBalanced & Mature state Commanding, secure, decisive, just, fair and supportive, The Sovereign takes responsibility, establishes the vision, provides direction, empowers others, creates order, and sets healthy boundaries. The Sovereign’s primary purpose is to seek the prosperity of all in their realm. >>Overheated: he becomes the TyrantSelf-important, superior attitude, controlling, must be right, perfectionist, dictatorial, exalts own accomplishments, refuses the counsel and advice of others. Seeks power to get their own way.>>Frozen: he becomes the SlaveAvoids responsibility and decision-making, gives way to the agendas of others, blames others (especially for their own failings), lacks own vision and direction, a mere caretaker at best, paranoid, desperate for praise and respect.
• #22: SageBalanced & MatureWise, learned, discerning, knowledgeable, perceptive, sapient, hungry for truth. Rational, logical and reasonable, with a healthy detachment from events - though often less comfortable expressing emotions. Places high value on evidence and history. >>Overheated: he becomes The HermitAloof, over-intellectual, entangled in impractical theory, unable to connect with real people (especially emotional ones), obsessively logical, condescending - particularly towards less educated). >>Frozen: he becomes The DummyImmobilised through a lack of adequate knowledge or understanding (we don’t know, we can’t know), incapable of making decisions, pessimistic: ‘everything is meaningless’.
• #23: MysticBalanced & Mature Mastery of uncommon knowledge. Capable of bringing transformation, has faith, brings hope, remains calm and unshaken by events. Visionary, creative and charismatic, delighting in mystery, and seems to draw upon unearthly powers of intuition and prescience. >>Overheated: The SorcererDevious, condescending and superior, deceptive, secretive, manipulative, vengeful, cunning, elusive and slippery, reverts to sorcery, paranoid, Gnostic (exalting their ‘higher knowledge’; declaring that ‘spirit is everything’). >>Frozen: The Fantasist Fearful, stressed. Hopeless; lacking a belief in anything good. Easily influenced by others, doubts own abilities, lapses into continual fantasies.
• #24: LoverMature and BalancedValues people, loves to build relationships and connections, empathetic, seeks harmony. Comfortable displaying emotion, playful, spontaneous, appreciates beauty - drawn to the arts, poetry and music. >>Overheated: he becomes The DesperadoLustful, desperate, infatuated, relationally restless, addictive, constantly seeking more. >>Frozen: he becomes The Loner (or the Stoic)Unfeeling, stoical, stuck in grief, avoids intimacy yet can’t stand being alone. Numb, bored, dull. Disconnected, lacks empathy, neglects others in need.
• #25: JesterMature and BalancedBrings humour, laughter, joy, colour and entertainment. Makes light of things, finds the funny side, liberates from negativity and over-seriousness.>>Overheated: He becomes The IdiotSpiteful, mean, uses humour to tear down; sarcastic and sardonic. Disruptive, easily diverted and distracted, often performing practical jokes. Flippant, can’t take anything seriously, often interrupting important matters. >>Frozen: He becomes The DepressiveWallows in negativity, stuck in grief, feels shallow and insecure, lacks meaning, ‘there’s nothing in life to enjoy’.So… you may have had certain people you know come to find as we went through these descriptions. Sometimes it’s the Shadow side of a person’s dominant archetypes that have become their most characteristic traits.There’s much we could discuss around this, but rounding up our investigation in the Shadows of each Archetype, we should simply state that if you recognise a specific Shadow, you should focus your attention on developing the positive traits of the mature archetypal form. It’s much easier to steer a savage into mature and helpful Warrior behaviours than to try to get him to act like a Lover or a Jester, for example.So… that’s a short summary of each ACHETYPE and their shadow sides…To round off this hour together I want to show you one of the key Team Me techniques that helps uncover the cause of imbalances between prof life and personal life. >>
• #26: One very common issue that professional people face is that they can end up living a quite different life at work than they do at home. Now of course you’d expect there to be differences in the kind of things they have to do in these two environments but, for some people, the different roles they play have almost made them into two distinctly different people. Where this is the case, even when they are often completely unaware of this disparity, the individual often has a general feeling unease or unhappiness about their life as a whole. But, again, archetypal conflicts are unconscious – people often have no idea why they’re unhappy about life.So, would you like to learn a simple technique that will pinpoint the issue from the point of view of the Archetypes involved?I thought you would !This is what we do….
• #27: This exercise is no different to our original profiling exercise – only this time, having established our PERSONAL archetypes profile, your characteristic strengths as displayed in your home life,we would map separately your characteristic behaviour AT WORK.>>
• #28: So, this was the profile of a client of mine…Now, a difference of 1 or even 2 would give us no cause for concern – but if we see a difference of 3-4 there may be an issue. 5 or more and there’s clearly something out of balance!And what was immediately apparent with this client is that he was much more of a left-brain person – both at home and work.But also that his work was demanding a lot of the Warrior – when naturally not so strong in that area.The scores for Sovereign indicate that he was very aware that he had a manager who was in charge of things and demanded continual action and results… but in things creative there was no particular issue.So, how fulfilled do you think he was at work? ------------------Another very useful way of using this exercise is to map the ideal archetypal profile of any role you’re trying to fill.. And then do a profile on the candidates who are applying for the job. That way you can find the best fit.
• #30: So, if you’ve been interested in what we’ve been discussing today… and I guess you must have been to have stayed on this for so long… You may like to know about some resources that will help take things to the next level.The Paperback edition of the book ‘Team Me’can be ordered right now from the Products page on the website: www.team-me.bizOr ordered from Amazon Kindle in any country where Amazon have made Kindle available. The book is 190 pages long and reveals a lot more than we’ve covered today, including a technique that enables you to unleash the power of any of your archetypes in full force at any time you wish. It’s jammed with real-life examples, The 3 hour dramatic Audio Book version will also be out shortly – again check the Products page on the website: www.team-me.biz for details. AND a free 8 minute sample of this audio book is available if you sign-up using this specific address: www.team-me.biz/audio.html Now as I hand you back to James I just want to thank you so much for joining this webinar – I hope you’ll continue your journey with me for a while to come and that you send me stories of how this material has helped you and/or those under your guidance and care.Thank you.