Leadership development through Transactional Analysis- Relationship styles exposed

One of the popular theories of personality and human development is transactional analysis (TA), originated by Eric Berne (1961). Departing from classical psychoanalysis, Berne used simple day-to-day language to explain the dynamics of personality and its application for human development. His theory has the following components:
1. Structural analysis, proposing the main structure of a personality in terms
of three ego states. ,
2. Transactional analysis, explaining the dynamics of interpersonal
communication in terms of transactions between ego states of A and B.
3. Life-position analysis, suggesting the four positions individuals adopt in
their transaction with the outside world.
4. Games analysis, discussing ulterior transactions leading to a pay-off.
5. Script analysis, detailing of specific life dramas that people compulsively
play out.
For our purposes, two of the above are especially relevant-structural analysis and life-position analysis. However, we shall briefly explain the other aspects of T A also.
Structural Analysis
Structural analysis deals with the structure of the personality. A personality consists of three ego states. An ego state is 'a consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly related to a corresponding consistent pattern of behavior'. The three ego states are Parent, Adult, and Child.
The Parent ego-state-





It is 'a set of feelings attitudes and behaviour patterns which resemble those of the parental figure'.There are two main Parental functions-nurturing and controlling, (regulating). Nurturing is done by providing needed support. Controlling or regulating behaviour (of others) is done through prescriptions (instructing in detail what should be done and how) and sanctions (punishing that behaviour which the Parent disapproves of). We may call these sub-ego states or sub-functions. The main focus of the Parent seems to be on values and norms.
The Adult ego-state-
It is 'an autonomous set of feelings, attitudes and behaviour patterns which are adapted to the current reality'. The Adult ego-state has the function of collecting and processing information in the present. It responds to reality. The Adult works like a computer, without any values or emotions. We can call this a task function
The Child ego-state-
It is 'a set of feelings, attitudes and behaviour patterns which are relics of the individual's own child hood. The Child ego-state has several aspects. These were named Natural Child (curious, fun-loving), Rebellious Child (revolting against authority) and Adapted Child (the ego-state under the influence of the Parent)..
All these relate to emotions. We shall take the liberty of using different terms with slightly different meanings-Creativity, Confrontation, and Adaptation.
All the three ego-states (and their sub-states) are important for a person. If anyone of them is weak, we call it 'underdeveloped'. Numerically speaking, the three ego-states should be about 33 per cent each; the same is true of the three Child sub-ego-states with respect to their composition of the child. The two Parent sub-ego-states should be about 50 per cent each of the full Parent. Norms for underdevelopment have been worked out and it has been suggested that a percentage ratio of 20 or below (for the three ego states or three Child sub-ego-states) and 30 or below (for the two Parent sub-ego-states) show underdevelopment.

to be continued....