Transactional Analysis for Leadership development-Part 2

Transactional Analysis
A transaction is the act of communication or interaction between two people. A transaction starts with a stimulus and ends with a response to the stimulus. Since each individual involved in the transaction has three ego-states, the transactions are between the various ego-states.
When A sends a message, B receives it; B then responds and this response is received by A. This is one transaction. A person can send a prescriptive or admonishing message (from what is called the Parent ego-state), an information message (from the Adult), or a feeling message (from the Child). Any of these messages may be sent to (and received by) one of the three ego-states of the other person (Parent, Adult, or Child). If the response is by the same ego-state as the one which received the message, it is called a complementary or parallel transaction. Such transactions are very satisfying.
Example-
Boss-our values are getting eroded
Subordinate-Yes sir
The response, however, may not originate from the ego-state which has received the message. Then it is a crossed transaction.
Example-
Boss- Is the report ready ?
Subordinate- Do you think I have no other work.?
The message sent may not be a simple one. To use TA terminology, a message sent may have two targets (ego states). There may be an overt message (open and expressed), but it may also contain a covert message (a hidden one). Transactions with such messages are called ulterior transactions.
Example-.
Boss- What is the date today ?
Subordinate- Sir,I shall definitely send the report tomorrow
Life Position Analysis
Life position comprises certain deeply ingrained convictions about the worth of the self and others. By the time a child is ready for school, it arrives at these convictions. The child's conviction about itself may either be 'I'm OK' or 'I'm not OK'. Similarly, it may look at others and think: ‘You are O.K’ or ‘You are not O.K’.
Combining these, we have four life positions-
1. 'I'm OK, you're OK'. This is the healthy position
2. 'I'm OK, You're not OK'. This is the paranoid position.
3.'I'm not OK, you're OK'. This is the depressive position
4. 'I'm not OK, You're not OK'. This is the schizoid position, or what is called “futility position’
These life positions can be used to understand one's style of working with others. Style is a consistent and stable way of interacting with others.