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ISBN 978-3-86219-036-2

hpd – impulseHuman Potential Development

Management and HR development -a humanistic approachfor integrationpost graduate studies in intercultural cooperation

Universität Kassel , Germany & University of the Philippines, DilimanProf. Hans H. Lenhard and Prof. Ma. Cecilia Conaco, PhD

hpd – impulse Human Potent ia l Deve lopment

Management and HR development - a humanistic approach for integration post graduate studies in intercultural cooperation

Universität Kassel, Germany & University of the Philippines, Diliman Prof. Hans H. Lenhard and Prof. Ma. Cecilia Conaco, PhD

a daad project book PROJECT: SUCOC–Supervision – Coaching – Organizational Dynamics List of authors: Ma. Cecilia Conaco / Dieter Goeschel / Stefan Köhler Ewald E. Krainz / Jürgen Krauss / Karin Lackner Christoph Lau / Hans Lenhard / A. Mendoza / Tina Rabl The SUCOC-Project-Team: Prof. Ma. Cecilia Conaco, PhD; Dieter Goeschel; Dipl.Soz.Ther Stefan Köhler; Stud.Soz,Päd; Prof. Hans Lenhard; Prof. A. Mendoza, PhD; Guest lecturers: Prof. Dr. Kurt Buchinger; Prof. Dr. Ewald E. Krainz; Jürgen Krauss, Dipl.Sup,Vis; Christoph Lau, Dipl. Soz.Päd; Prof. Dr. Karin Lackner; Tina Rabl, Mag.Ph.;

Bibliographic information published by Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available in the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.

ISBN print: 978-3-86219-036-2 ISBN online: 978-3-86219-037-9 URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0002-30376 © 2011, kassel university press GmbH, Kassel www.upress.uni-kassel.de Printed in Germany

A rose

Is a rose

Is a rose

Gertrude Stein

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TURNING POINTS AND HEADLINES OF THE SUCOC - PROJECT - WORK an overview:

Two basic impulses formed the stage for the development of the SUCOC concept: The GESTALT-WORK, as a humanistic approach in education and learning and POCESS AWARENESS, as a fundamental understanding of “supervision” in a European context.

Two main factors influenced the development of a curriculum, to be set up in cooperation between the two universities in Kassel and Manila: 1. the impulse of expertise (as mentioned above) and 2. the structure of the field of business and professional training in the Philippines.

The level of content and goal-setting was the ball in the game, mainly structured and pushed forward by the quality of interaction, relation, and communication, as well as institutional settings, frames, and rituals.

Many of the impasses (moments, when the process of cooperation and continuation was in question) were based on differences in perspectives on how to proceed, how to solve conflicts, and how to live the cultural differences.

Fruitful moments were those, when actual conflicts within the staff as well as within workshop situations were openly confronted and handled, to give space for underlying differences which were present at any given time.

Great events were experimental situations and workshops, when conceptual ideas entered the stage, where experts of the SUCOC team and persons who joined and participated tried out alternative ways in new and open rooms.

Best development impulses have arisen, when the experts of the local field (HR managers, students and businessman) asked their questions related to the practical field of work and gave their feedback, after experiencing a special sequence of SUCOC training forms.

The result-oriented final output is a curriculum which may be applied in various forms (parts of it will be used in HR sections of companies and modules will be integrated into professional training or academic programs). As important outcome of the process of cooperation, we have individual statements about changes within the participating colleagues, business partners and participants stating that, in a way, more attention will be given to intercultural factors and noting an increase of awareness about the “reality of managing differences” within work and personal life. Finally the institution of the local Filipino “Gestalt Institute Manila” is now a reality which is expected to influence the field of consultancy and counseling work.


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Preface:

The most exciting process and learning event however were the: “work-and-live-together” events during our 12 work-sessions, 6 experimental workshops and several visiting periods, when expertise and cultural differences met. Though some of us had a background of bi-national or multi-cultural research and field studies, the impact of the frequently used “I am I – and you are you … and I know to do my things best … and let you do yours,” then and when, became very simple traps for partner related cooperation and the hidden academic patterns of competition, authority and systematic different ways to solve problems turned into our team inherent barriers.

The initial part of the documentation revolves around experiences within the team, towards the other culture and the difficulties within ourselves to appreciate intercultural or personal differences.

The input of our local experts (from Austria, Germany and the Philippines), their highly developed and specialized techniques , their knowledge of expertise, as well as, the conceptual foundations in humanistic psychology or philosophical ideas were the basic work level, the contents we were dancing around, all related to the goals of an integration of management training.

In the second part of this documentation, experts present their skills and ways of work and specialized backgrounds, their handling and thinking frames in relation to their role as multipliers, process facilitators, trainers or managers and offer impulses, which provided some basic steps in our process of confrontation and integration

With the goal in mind, to develop and set up a program for special management competencies for supervision, coaching and organization dynamics, we started the four years of activities. The DAAD had confirmed a sponsorship within the DIES program and the project data, in the form of a modularized system of studies and trainings is, herein, presented

In the 3rd part of this documentation, a collection of data and useful materials are assembled for colleagues who may want to work with similar sets of competencies, or who are preparing to structure and to conceptualize continuing educational trainings in countries where this field of management specialization is just entering the professional stage. In the Philippines this has been done mostly by foreigners, often without a process of enculturation, confrontation and integration into the specific cultural frames, just transporting any of the highly marketable western models, which are en vogue.

A very exciting aspect of this team work was in fact the “rooting” of a strange and, in many ways, unfamiliar way of understanding and practicing management and management training within our team as well as within the experimental groups of managers and students of industrial-organizational (IO) psychology at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.


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Table of contents:

The general perspective/retrospective and process presentation

A collection of critical incidents, moments of encounter, situations of conflict, all in the mirror of cultural differences, to be monitored and solved in a way, which will allow to go on, to increase the learning within the team and about the special factors of an intercultural work setting, and which will open the potentials of the interacting partners and systems, to reach a different level of awareness and increase their capability to integrate their mind, body and emotional being in the roles of conceptual developers as well as in interaction with human partners from different cultural backgrounds.

Part I : Experiencing SUCOD – the project work. Different perspectives and retrospectives – on a process of cooperation and development.

1.1 Hans Lenhard Zur Rolle von Prozesskompetenz, Handlungskontinuum und Verhaltensbewusstheit in Management und Bildungsarbeit – und im Projekt SUCOD.

1.2 Ma. Cecilia G. Conaco Working together in an intercultural staff – conflicts and learning on the level of the multipliers 1.3 Aurora Odette C. Mendoza Getting into the shoes of a job-holder who wants to integrate Philippine tradition and western approaches of job management;

1.4 Tina Rabl

Process documentation as a component of organisational learning

Part II: Expertise in SUCOD – different approaches as basics of the project. Different perspectives towards the general topic represent the variety of expert statements: 2.1. Dieter Goeschel Psychodrama and the German background 2.2 Ewald E. Krainz The Indispensability of Organisational Consciousness 2.3 Karin Lackner The emotional lining of an organization

2.4 Hans Lenhard

Ein Konzept multi-dimensionaler Gestalt-Arbeit

2.5 Christoph Lau Interkatives Lernen und Training von soft skills in an e-learning system

Part III: Attachments and final statements Curriculum modules and work-materials 3.1 Process-documentation and curricular papers

3.2 Curricular manual for practical trainings and studies to gain competences in “supervision*, coaching and organizational dynamics”

3.3 Final statement: Outlook: What was, what is and what will become important? Ma.Cecilia Conaco / Hans Lenhard


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Part I Experiencing SUCOC – the project work.

1.1 Zur Rolle von Prozesskompetenz, Handlungskontinuum und Bewusstheit in Management und im Projekt SUCOD.

Hans Lenhard

Wenn mich Studenten fragen, was ich denn nun für die wichtigste Kompetenz bei der Anleitung von Menschen im Lern- oder betrieblichen Arbeitsbereich ansehe, dann ist die einfache Antwort: „Das kommt darauf an.“ – „ja, worauf denn?“ fragen sie weiter; und dann sind da für mich mindestens drei Aspekte, die es zu betrachten und zu analysieren gilt. Drei die ich hier näher kommentieren will.

Einfach gesehen will ein Leiter, Moderator, Manager ja eine Leistung, eine Veränderung von A nach B bewerkstelligen: statt 4% Gewinn sollen es 6% werden; statt unglücklicher und gestresster Mitarbeiter sollen diese zufriedener und entspannter sein; statt 80 Auszubildenden sollen 120 Absolventen eines Trainings erfolgreich begleitet werden.

So betrachtet, ist die Frage der Veränderung von Punkt A zu Punkt B Anfang und Ende einer einfachen Angelegenheit – und eine gedankliche Linie - direkt von A zu B – scheint den Weg zu markieren.

Was dann allerdings passiert, wenn der Facilitator (diesen Begriff werde ich hier verwenden, um eine offenen Begriffssilhouette zu haben, die gedanklich - fantastisch oder experimentell – konkret langsam gefüllt werden kann) – also wenn so ein Facilitator am Ausgangspunkt eines beginnenden Prozesses „einsteigt“ und Impulse setzt, ist das zunächst einmal begründet in seiner Prozesskompetenz.

1.1 Process-competence, behavior corridor and awareness in management and education – important roles within the SUCOD project.

Hans Lenhard

When students ask what I see now as the most important skill in guiding people in the learning or operational work area, my simple answer: "It depends." - "So, on what then," they go on asking. There are at least three aspects to look at and start analyzing, some of which I want to comment on here in more detailed way.

By virtue of sheer visibility, a leader, facilitator or manager will indeed achieve positive performance, a change from A to B; instead of 4% gain, it will be 6%; instead of unhappy and stressed staff, they will turn more contented and relaxed; instead of 80 trainees, up to 120 graduates of a training program will be given successful inputs.

In this light, the question of the change from point A to point B seems to be a simple matter; and a logical line, directly from A to B, appears to be a well-marked route.

What happens, however, when the facilitator* starts acting, when the facilitator at the start of a process begins setting impulses, is initially based mostly on his process expertise, his awareness of all the implications of the situation.

* The term I use here, in order to gain an open concept silhouette, to cognitively map slowly but concretely, fantastic or experimental.


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Der Anfang mit seinen Partnern – im skizzierten Rahmen - ist ja keineswegs der Anfang. Der Facilitator / Moderator hat eine neue Impulsfunktion übernommen, indem er entweder richtungsweisende Orientierungen gibt oder aber Positionsbeobachtungen und Analysen anbietet.

Dieser Anfang (im Irgendwo eines Prozesses) hängt natürlich wiederum von Ihm/ihr, den anderen Beteiligten, den Organisationsstrukturen – und der Art, diese zu interpretieren ab.

Damit sind wir bei der Schlüsselrolle des Facilitators und bei einer Kernkompetenz für den zu gestaltenden Prozess: Wie „realistisch“ ist die subjektive Wahrnehmung des Arbeitsfeldes, d.h. auch der Veränderungsmöglichkeiten der beteiligten Menschen und Systeme. – Das Wollen – und die Zielvorstellungen kommen ins Spiel; die Werte (individuell bis kulturell) und die Selbstwerte (persönlich und hierarchisch) – sowie Support und Grenzen (menschlich und materiell) treten auf die Prozessbühne und suchen alle ihren Weg.

In einer GESTALT-Inszenierung , bei der etwa diese Kräfte als Beteiligte aufgestellt sind, die dann in auseinandersetzungsstarker Manier alle um ihre Verwirklichung und ihren Einfluss miteinander umgehen, wird schnell deutlich, in welchem Handlungsraum wir uns mit dem Facilitator / Moderator befinden.

Und in detaillierter Klärung der Möglichkeiten, die alle Kräfte und Handlungspartner haben, wird auch deutlich, wie vielfältig die Entscheidungen zur konkreten nächsten Aktion, zum folgenden Moderationsimpuls ausfallen können. In jeder Dimension sind meist zwei polare Ausprägungen möglich und angeboten; (z.B. Hierarchie: entweder zwei Interaktionspartner sind auf einem Level – oder extrem an höchster bzw. unterster Ebene – und/oder irgendwo dazwischen).Diese Kontinuum bestimmt, öffnet oder schränkt die Handlungsmöglichkeiten ein. – Das tut es nun, ob ich mir dessen bewusst bin oder nicht.

Der Vorteil einer ausgebildeten und gut entwickelten Bewusstheit, verhilft zu eher angemessenen, erfolgversprechenden und damit weniger riskanten Aktionen.

The beginning with his partners, featured in my previous thoughts, is by no means the beginning.

The facilitator has accepted a new impulse function, in which he is either the giver of trend orientations or offers a perspective of observation, perception and analysis.

This beginning (somewhere in a process) depends, of course on him / her, the other parties, the organizational structures, and the way of interpreting this whole gestalt and its parts

This brings us to the key role of the facilitator and a core competency for the creative process: how "realistic" is the subjective perception of the working field, and how realistic are changes of the ways of the people involved and their systems.

The will and the goals come on stage; as well as the values (individual and cultural) and the self esteem (personal and hierarchical), as well as support and limitations (human and materialistic). All these impacts will be experienced and structure the process stage. All are looking in their own direction.

In a gestalt-scenario, in which some of these forces are positioned as parties that will all deal in all manner of interactive confrontation, their achievement and influence among each other becomes obvious quickly. And the action space we find ourselves in with the facilitator is based on the awareness of the here mentioned aspects.

And a detailed clarification of the possibilities and of the powers of the acting partners, will show how diversely the decisions turn into concrete subsequent steps of action, indicating room for the presentation of a following impulse.

In each dimension are mostly bipolar forms possible and available, (e g hierarchy: either two interaction partners are on the same level, at the extremes of highest or lowest level, and / or somewhere in between). This continuum provides, opens or restricts the possibilities for action.

That is happening in the here and now, whether I am aware of it or not.

The advantage of a highly trained and well developed awareness helps to execute more reasonable and promising and thus less risky actions in the social field of management and teaching situations.


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Zu dieser Größe: „Bewusstheit als Kompetenz-Kriterium für Manager, Moderatoren und Trainer im beruflichen Bildungsbereich“ komme ich später zurück.

Das soeben skizzierte Handlungskontinuum ist für mich ein ziemlich theoretisches Konstrukt; dabei ist es möglich, die Pole (also die extremen Handlungsalternativen) zu benennen (wenn nicht bereits Ängste oder kulturelle Moralitäten oder …, das verbieten). – Abgesehen von Tabuzonen (die wir allerdings auch öffnen können) sind wir meist gut in der Lage zu sehen, wo etwas geht bzw. wo was möglich ist. - Natürlich ist da eine Risikozone, die den Handlungsraum begrenzt. Sie ist als ein Nadelöhr Phänomen in anderen Zusammenhänger der Gruppendynamik diskutiert worden und im Interkulturellen ebenso relevant.

In der Wirklichkeit und on-the-job ist diese starke Begrenzung des nutzbaren Handlungsraumes ein professionelles Handicap für Manager und Moderatoren. – Aber längst sind findige Trainer dabei, die „interne Risikolenkung“ durch Erlebnisse von Extremerfahrungen zu reduzieren – und damit ein riskanteres Management zu fördern.

Klar, dass die Ethik damit auf die Bühne kommt; „entgrenztes“ managen von Arbeitsprozessen - oder „entgrenztes“ Moderieren bei der Entwicklung der menschlichen Potentiale im beruflichen oder persönlichen Bildungsbereich führt zu gewissensveränderter Praxis. Damit wird auch die aktuelle in der Wirtschaft auf breiter Ebene deutlich werdende neue Form der veränderten Jobroutinen zurück zu führen sein, die gesellschaftlich als kriminell festgeschriebene und angesehene Managementpraktiken als normal praktizierten Alltag ins Business gebracht hat.

Dieser Zusammenhang ist ebenso Bestandteil der vorausgehend angesprochenen Verhaltensbewusstheit. Wir nehmen als Trainer, Manager und Moderatoren von Lerngruppen die Leute mit auf einen Trip, der, wenn er wenig verankert ist im Wertemantel einer Person, einer Gruppe, Organisation oder Kultur, zu grenzüberschreitenden Entwicklungen führen kann. Machbarkeiten in einem (vielleicht dem eigenen) Kulturrahmen sind dabei undenkbar, konflikterzeugend, strafbar – innerhalb der kulturellen Atmosphäre des Nachbarn.

To this aspect, "Consciousness as a criterion of competence for managers, facilitators and trainers in vocational education" I will return later.

The outlined continuum of action is a rather theoretical construct, where it is possible to designate the poles (ie the extreme alternatives). If not fears or cultural morality or ..or..already ban such alternatives. Apart from taboo areas (which we may, however, also open), we are mostly able to clearly visualize the position, where anything goes, or is not going, and where what is possible.

Of course there is a risk zone, which limits the space for action. It has been discussed as a relevant bottleneck phenomenon in other contexts of group dynamics and inter-cultural projects.

In reality on-the-job, this strong limitation of the usable space of action is a professional handicap for managers and presenters. But for some time, resourceful coaches have been able to reduce the 'internal risk management' through experiences of extreme solution management, thus promoting a more risky form of managing finances and men.

Clearly stated, ethics walks onto the stage and "borderless" management of work processes or 'borderless” facilitation in the development of human potential in the professional or personal education leads to “gewissensveränderter” practice. Thus the current broad level in economy is clearly becoming a new form of job routines. There are attempts to reverse this process. It has been enshrined and respected in society as criminal ways and turns into “normal management practices” in everyday business practice.

This relationship is as much a part of the prior mentioned behavioural awareness. As coaches, managers and facilitators of learning groups, joining people on a trip, is based on a job identity, which, if it is poorly anchored in the mantle values of a person, group, organization or culture, will lead to cross-border development.

Culturally accepted ways (maybe in your own field) in one cultural context are unthinkable and conflict- producing, even an offense, in the cultural atmosphere of the neighbours


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So ist die interkulturelle Arbeit auch immer ein Eiertanz in der Hinsicht, dass ein zu viel an Veränderung, an Öffnung des Handlungs-Kontinuums sich kontraproduktiv und wenig entwicklungsfördernd erweisen. Ebenso in Richtung auf eine wirkungsreduzierende Form ist natürlich die polare Alternative, die – jeden Konflikt vermeidend – im professionell unergiebigen Gewohnheitsbereich bleibt.

Dabei ist die Tradition eine der Kräfte, die auf der Bühne der Entwicklungs- und Veränderungs-Arbeit eine sichernde, bewahrende und stabilisierende Wirkung hat; sie zu ignorieren schafft im Laufe eines Prozesses, der neue Dimensionen eröffnen will, Unsicherheiten, Ärger und Ängste, deren Blockadewirkung den Zugang zu neuen Ufern unmöglich macht.

Wenn diese Gedanken – am Ende der vier Jahre der Projektarbeit stehen, die eine Zeit fruchtbarer Begegnungen, anregender Kooperation und mancherlei Konfrontationen geboten hat, dann ist damit ein Aspekt als Gewinn skizziert, den die Handlungshektik und Projektbetriebsamkeit manchmal nicht „zu Wort“ kommen lässt: die Achtung vor dem, was der/die andere, als Partner/in ist; der und die ihren Weg im Rahmen eines gemeinsamen Projektes geht, eben als Realisierung seiner/ihrer kulturellen Identität.

Gerade das Andere, die Differenz hat in ihrer Erscheinung - hat im selbstverständlichen Dazugehören - dazu beigetragen, selbst mehr zu lernen – und den Lern- und Entwicklungsprozess nicht nur nach außerhalb an die Zielgruppen zu delegieren. – Manchmal ging mir (und uns) „das Andere“ ziemlich auf die Nerven, dann gab es Rückzug, Resignation und Abstand. Auch dieser Prozess, sich Raum zu nehmen (für das, was ja der Impuls zur Veränderung war) und dann wieder Raum zu geben (für das, was und wie die Anderen mit den neuen Inputs – oder ihren selbstverständlichen Möglichkeiten umgehen), sich damit abzufinden, das das Ergebnis schließlich „sehr anders“ aussieht, als in der Zeit, als es sich noch im Planungsrahmen eigen-kultureller Art im Reisegepäck der Initiatoren befand.

Thus, the intercultural work is always an “egg dance” in the sense that too much of change, too much proved openness of a continuum of action may become counterproductive. This will not promote successful development.

In a similar vein, the polar alternative is also a dangerous form of efficient change; avoiding any conflict, remaining in the home polarity, stays in the field of a customized professionally unproductive habit. Tradition is one of the forces, which on the stage of development and of changes in working, has a safety-preserving and stabilizing effect. Ignoring tradition creates a process that will open up new dimensions, uncertainty, anger and fears. The blockade effect makes any access to new shores impossible.

If this idea at the end of four years of our project work, which has provided a time of fruitful meetings, stimulating cooperation and various confrontations, offers a hidden aspect, this is outlined as a profit which, during the sometimes very hectic action and “project business” was taken care of. It is the mutual respect for what “the others”, as partners are designers of their way in a joint project; just as a realization of his / her cultural identity and right to be different.

Being the other, the difference in appearance is the obvious part in belonging to the project group. Such moments helped us to learn more about our identities. Learning to see and live as part of a development process; intensive work together is not just a matter in relation to our target groups.

There were enough moments, when I or we and “the other” would get on each other’s nerves. There was withdrawal, resignation and distance. This process has taken space (for what was the impetus for change) and then again to make room (for what and how the others and I or we deal with new inputs or obvious possibilities).

Agreeing, that the permanent, final analysis is "very different" looks like the days before, when we were still in the planning frame of self-cultural quality and when we, as initiators, carried our expertise in the luggage.


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Hans Lenhard

Hans Lenhard

Hat als Universitätsprofessor an der Universität Kassel, am Fachbereich 04 die Werkstatt für integrative Arbeit aufgebaut und geleitet; in der Rolle als Dekan hat er während seiner Dienstzeit von 1974 bis 2006 Akzente im Lebens- und Arbeitsraum Universität gesetzt, deren Orientierung an Grundsätzen der Humanistischen Psychologie eine Art Gegengewicht zur administrativen Realität der Institution bildeten.

Sein Training als gestalttherapeutisch fundierter Bildungsberater (am ESALEN INSTITUT in Kalifornien) hat ihn den dualen Weg von persönlichem Wachstum und professioneller Kompetenzentwicklung der Human Potential Bewegung der USA weiter entwickeln lassen – in Richtung auf die Integration von Gruppendynamik, Kreativität und Gesundheitsarbeit.

Die Auslandsmitarbeiten über einen Zeitraum von 20 Jahren im Forscherteam des Deutsch - Französichen Jugendwerkes und als Gastprofessor an der University of the Philippines und als Koordinator des Entwicklungsprojektes des DAAD-DIES, sind Grundlage für sein ausgeprägtes Interesse an Möglichkeiten und Formen interkulturellen Lernens und Lebens.

Im Rahmen des Mantalou International Institute in Griechenland wurde eine Bildungswerkstatt aufgebaut, die ganzheitliches „Leben Lernen“ anbietet; in der Rolle als Gründer des Gestalt-Institute Manila wird im Rahmen offener Workshops, betrieblicher Entwicklungsprojekte und universitärer Post Gradualer Programme das Gestalt-Konzept in asiatischen Raum weiter verbreitet.

Die im zentralen Teil der Dokumentation vorgestellten Einzelbeiträge sind - i.S. dieser Vorbemerkungen - die eingebrachte Expertise.

Die im Rahmen des Konzeptualisierens viel besprochenen Rolle eines „Experten des Nicht-Wissens“, der im Gestaltungsprozess die Kommunikation und Arbeitsformen moderiert, ist eine Konkurrenz oder - i.S. der vorstehenden Ausführungen - auch eine Polarität zum Experten, der „nur“ sein Fachwissen hat.

Jede dieser Expertisen bietet – im Rahmen des Handlungskontinuums – Möglichkeiten für Jobimpulse und zur Prozessgestaltung.

In the central part of the documentation we present individual contributions, the introduced expertises as impulses for development and change.

These preliminary remarks offer the basic humanistic mind set, which guided our “action”.

The much discussed frame in the context of the conceptualization of the role of an "expert of not knowing", the openness in the moderation process, the communication and working arrangements was the competitor, a polarity to the expert, who "only" carries his expertise.

All of the experts knowledge offers, within the continuum of action, opportunities for job impulses and chances for action with regard to the design of the project process.


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1.2 Working together in an intercultural staff – conflicts and learning on the level of the multipliers

Ma. Cecilia G. Conaco

In the context of globalisation, more and more organizations today reflect plurality of culture in their organizational settings. Managers, technical consultants, team members and workers from various countries may be assembled in a particular work organization and need to pool their energies to attain a common goal. The challenges are great, however, in such a situation and failure to successfully meet these challenges could lead to problems and a failure to attain the organizational agenda and set goals.

The University of the Philippines – Universität Kassel Memorandum of Agreement and the SUCOC Project: a Case Study

Background of the Project: In October 2004, the Supervision, Coaching and Organizational Counselling (SUCOC) Project was officially launched with a first meeting of the cooperation partners, faculty from the University of the Philippines (UP) Department of Psychology and faculty from the Fachbereich 04 of the Universität Kassel (Uni-K), to discuss the basic goals and frame of the project. The main goal of the project was to jointly develop and testrun a post graduate course on SUCOC. The Uni-K was, at this time, developing a master’s program in SUCOC and wanted to share its expertise with long-time partners in a previous cooperation project, the Human Potential Development (HPD) Program at the UP.

The previous project had run fairly successfully as a continuing education program at the UP for almost a decade and had developed quite a reputation and positive response from its many workshop participants and students over the years. Thus, the idea of instituting a more compact program, possibly a master’s degree, geared mainly to the needs of human resource developers in organizations and industry was appealing to the long time partners. The German partners were only too happy to share their expertise as well as test their original modules on an international level with a non-European country partner. It was an excellent setting for cross-cultural exchange and learning.

The Cultural Exchange Format

Over the span of four years, Germans and Filipinos were crossing into each other’s cultural domains to discuss their different perspectives into the SUCOC project and how the modules and the total program should be conducted. Admittedly, the initial ideas came from the German professors who had plenty of experience in this particular field, having been involved in earlier variants and in the final version of the Uni-K’s master’s program in Supervision. However, as the finished product was meant to be run at the UP, the Filipino professors had to provide insider cultural feedback and help modify and fine-tune the system so it would be in conformity with the UP’s academic system as well as sensitive to Filipino relational approaches.

Ten work sessions were conducted, alternately, in Germany and the Philippines where the work partners sat down for intensive discussions that lasted for three to five days each time. Around the period of the work sessions, the modules were also tested one by one with Filipino participants to obtain feedback about the content material as well as the manner of conducting the sessions. Within the four-year period, practicum students from the University Kassel also came to the UP to visit and work within the Filipino academic setting.


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Intercultural Differences

The various individuals who encountered each other in the course of the cooperation project had varying degrees of exposure to the cultural other. Some may have had prior exposure only to their own nationals; others had exposure to other nationals coming from their own region (i.e., Germans exposed to other Europeans, Filipinos exposed to other Asians); whereas others may have had a more cosmopolitan exposure. The main German proponent had an extremely varied exposure to others of different cultural backgrounds and was fairly open-minded about difference and the cultural other; the same held true for the Filipino project co-director; and this shared experiential variety was helpful in navigating some of the difficulties and conflicts that ensued.

There were many other differences, other than the difference in nationality and the degree / extent of exposure to others of different cultural background. There were differences in gender which, coupled with other cultural differences, led to even wider differences. For example, a European female / male interacting the “western” way with an Asian male / female espousing more traditional values posed problems at the interpersonal as well as inter-group levels. The gender-culture differences among the project proponents was noteworthy – two male German professors and two female Filipino professors.

Differences in values lead to different behaviours and behaviours that are open to misinterpretation and misunderstanding. For example, the value of direct expression of one’s inner thoughts and feelings so easy for and common among the German participants posed difficulties for the Filipino participants who valued a politeness norm that proscribed free and open expression of negative feelings, especially those directed towards the other. Thus, a Filipino student might be offended by some statement or behaviour of the other but would, often, prefer to keep silent and thus avoid any open confrontation. On the other hand, our German practicum students, failing to appreciate the cultural socialization, would sometimes complain about this lack of open-ness and continue in their assertive ways, seen as rude and insensitive in our culture. As co-director, I had to orient some of our foreign guests to the cultural sensitivities.

Language was another source of difference. Proficiency in the English language varied greatly among our visiting German students. And since English is the main academic medium in the Philippines, difficulties in the English language can be a major hindrance to social interactions and full academic participation. Vice versa, not having any skills in the German language also posed a hindrance to the Filipinos participating or wishing to participate in short-term exchanges in Germany. Thus, there were fewer Filipinos as exchange academics in Germany for this particular project, compared to the Germans who came to the Philippines for the equivalent period. Language, after all, is the main vehicle of cognitive and affective expression and, therefore, equivalent proficiency in a common language is essential for cooperating partners to maximize exchange of ideas and learning.

Communication Issues

Aside from the language difficulties, there were also other issues related to communication that posed challenges in this intercultural project. How one communicates an idea to another is reflective of the value one attaches to the process. Communication may be mainly agentic, a means to inform the other; communication may be relational, a means to connect to the other. Agentic communication focuses on information transmission and is therefore expected to be direct and straightforward. Relational communication, on the other hand, because it seeks to reach out and connect to the other, will be more aware and sensitive to the feelings of the other.

In the collectivist and interdependent cultural setting of the Philippines, communication is often focused on the relational. One pays heed not just to the words but needs pay special attention to the emotional undertones, attempting to read the intentions of the other from what is left unspoken. „Pakikiramdam,“ freely translated as sensitivity to the other, is a Philippine value. Relational and communication partners are expected to practice „pakikiramdam“ towards each other. A lack of „pakikiramdam“, even if due to


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cultural ignorance by the other, closes the door to deeper interaction and, possibly, further interactions in the future. This can lead to „pakikitungo“ or superficial, merely tolerating, interactions.

In the course of project interaction, involved partners ran into a myriad of communication pitfalls as described above. Agentic German partners were often baffled and frustrated by the indirect, non-straightforward communication styles of their Filipino partners. On the other hand, the German assertive directness was sometimes perceived as something rather like the proverbial bull in the china shop – overly direct, aggressive, and crushing everything painfully in its path. In response, the Filipino withdraws into silence and avoids further contact, making even less probable the chance of working out any issue.

This was also problematic in the conduct of some of our modules. Filipino participants are often shy about presenting their ideas or putting themselves on stage, especially among a group of strangers. The idea of processing the self in the group was painful for many of our first-time workshop participants. Giving and receiving feedback was a skill to be learned. Subsequent exposures, however, led to the extinction of initial fears and the learning and appreciation of the group processes. This also held true for the project staff. At project start, the Germans did most of the talking and the Filipinos did not really argue or disagree much.

Eventually, a mutuality of exchange became more usual as the Filipino partner(s) learned to assert herself and express opinions and ideas more directly and freely. The female and younger Filipino staff had to unlearn some of the Filipino cultural prescriptions about „respect“ and deference towards authority (i.e., older males).

Dealing with conflict All the differences described above have conflict potential. And indeed there were many conflict occasions in the course of the project. But again, the cultural difference was apparent in the approaches to conflict.

Approaches to conflict are often premised on one’s perspective on conflict. Where conflict is seen as neither negative or positive but merely as a difference that needs to be attended to, one may see conflict as a learning point and nothing to fear or run away from. In this situation, directly and immediately dealing with the conflict may be the logical choice. However, conflict may also be viewed as something negative, painful, or embarassing and, thus, something to be avoided at all costs.

In the Philippine cultural context, conflict is often perceived as negative. Confrontations and loud verbal exchanges are to be avoided among the well-mannered. Directly confronting a superior about an issue is rude; directly confronting a peer is bad-tempered and insensitive; directly confronting a subordinate may be seen as bullying. When a conflict situation arises, a typical strategy would be for the aggrieved party to make „pahiwatig“ or drop hints about one’s sentiments. The sensitive partner („may pakiramdam“) picks up the subtle cues and tries to make amends. The non-Filipino partner may be culturally-blind, however, and less than sensitive. Furthermore, the Filipino approach may be viewed as counter productive by the outsider in that the conflict issue is never really directly confronted and dealt with since the partners are merely interested in smoothening out the relationship.

It can also happen that a partner refuses to sooth the relationship because he or she also feels aggrieved. The person can pretend not to pick up the „pahiwatig“ of the initially aggrieved party (behavior labeled as „dedma“) and may even decide to completely ignore the other thereafter. Thus, open conflict confrontation is avoided but neither is the conflict truly addressed and resolved. And in many cases, the relationship dies or is no longer productive. - In the life of the project, the staff had to deal with the conundrum of dealing with conflict. The culture, gender, age differences all came into play and led to many misunderstandings and frustrations. But because of the need to push the goals of the project, proponents were forced to confront any conflicts and work at their sensible resolution. One had to learn to discuss difficult topics, like failures, with civility and without blame, keeping an eye on arriving at mutual understanding and satisfactory resolutions. One learned to be more open to perspectives other


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than one’s own and one learned to be more respectful and accepting of difference. To see a difference of opinions as merely that, a difference of opinion, and not to take difference as necessarily the other being against you was a major learning point.

One aspect that needs to be pointed out, however, for intercultural projects to succeed is the importance of flexibility. Pushing too aggressively one’s own agenda and refusing to consider the different needs and frames of the other partners can be a sore conflict point in project cooperations. To see one’s strategies as the best or only strategy is a conflict point. This can lead to demotivation among partners who feel their perspectives are not being given full consideration.

The SUCOC project was an evolutionary learning situation for the proponents. At the start, it was seen as a „transplantation“ of ideas from the Uni-K experience. Eventually, the ideas evolved as the German partners, realizing the different social and academic realities in the Philippines, consulted the Filipino partners more and adjusted the original frame to something workable in the different socio-cultural setting. The Filipino partners also learned to assert themselves (i.e., I learned how to make myself fully and clearly heard) and learned how to deal with the uncomfortability of conflict-potential situations like disagreeing with the German partners. It was interesting learning how to disagree without necessarily being disagreeable.

Learning from the experience

Intercultural cooperation projects like the SUCOC are a great opportunity for people from different cultures to learn about each other, about different ways of being, and the acceptance of difference. For future such projects, there are a few lessons culled from this cooperation that may be of use to others.

First, there are important personal attributes necessary for project proponents. These would include open-ness to experience, tolerance of other ways of being, interest and curiosity about the other, a willingness to make mistakes and learn from them, patience and a high tolerance of frustration.

Second, facility with a common language is necessary. Communication is the key to successful cooperation and language is an important aspect of any communication. Outside language facility, it is also important for proponents to have good communication skills, the ability to listen and the ability to transmit clearly one’s thoughts and feelings. Knowing how to give and receive feedback is very important. It is also very important to learn how to set aside unproductive stereotypes of the cultural other and deal with the different other fully in the here and now. One must learn to overcome one’s fears and anxieties about the other as well as suspend one’s supreme belief in one’s own way of being to allow a fuller appreciation of what the other can contribute and bring to the project.

Finally, it is important for project proponents to know how to responsively deal with conflict. It means being able to identify the conflict situation and its elements and work out strategies to effectively resolve the conflict. It also means the courage to confront difficult situations and not shirk one’s responsibilities. But above all, it means being able to respect difference and the other and the acceptance of certain things beyond change.

Ma. Cecilia G. Conaco Professor of Psychology / University of the Philippines, Diliman Prof. Conaco obtained her doctorate in social psychology, writing her dissertation on complex social categories, at the University of California in Santa Barbara in 1989 under a Fulbright – Hayes scholarship. She also obtained a certificate in political psychology from the Ohio State University in 1994. After her doctoral studies, she returned to the University of the Philippines in Diliman where she has been Professor of psychology since. She has held various administrative positions in university - chair for graduate studies at the UP Department of Psychology, area coordinator for social psychology, and co-coordinator of the Human Potential Development Laboratory, the result of cooperation between the University of the Philippines-Diliman and the University of Kassel. She was appointed Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy from 1998 to 2001 and was then concurrent Director of the Graduate School and Chair of the Philippine Studies Program of the college. She has done research, both local and cross-cultural, and has many publications on women’s issues, migration, group conflict and social identity. She was recognized in 1991 as one of the ten outstanding young scientists of the Philippines by the National Academy of Science and Technology. She is professionally active and has been on the boards of the Psychological Association of the Philippines and the Asian Association of Social Psychology.


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Experiencing SUCOC – project work.

1.3 Joining the SUCOC team – a report from the stage of curriculum development

Aurora Corpuz-Mendoza

I begun my involvement with the SUCOC curriculum project in early 2005. I had been invited to participate in this project and join the project staff within the HPD program in the Department of Psychology. Because I had a Masters degree in the field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and I was handling some of the graduate courses of the department in this area, I felt that it would an interesting project to which I would have significant contributions. My strong interest in the project was further fuelled by the expectation that I would be exposed to new developments in related areas, and particularly from a European perspective.

The initial work sessions were orientation sessions that allowed me, among other things, to become familiar with another team member, Prof. Dieter Goeschel, who was also involved with the HPD program. His social work background and field of expertise in Psychodrama were fascinating inputs as I was also doing, at that time, consultancy work in the field of Organization Development for various private companies in the local setting.

Because I had not been part of the HPD program, the orientation sessions were necessary for me to integrate the HPD framework with the basic theories and principles of Organizational Psychology, especially with regards to supervision. I was somewhat surprised in the beginning to realize that what was meant by “supervision” by my European counterparts was not exactly the same as what “supervision” meant to me as a result of my North American training. This realization became more apparent as I participated in some of the HPD workshops being conducted in the department.

My consultancy work in OD often involved training programs for supervisors and upper management employees and I started to become more and more aware of the potential usefulness of the SUCOC program we were tasked to develop. More particularly, in my practice I was also aware that the American notion of effective supervision was not exactly successful in the local setting, largely due to cultural differences between the nature of American organizations and employees and that of Filipino organizations and employees. In addition, I was relying largely on action research/survey feedback techniques for organizational diagnosis, which did not work for many small scale Filipino organizations. The concept of “coaching” and the new version of “supervision” as introduced to me in the initial work sessions therefore appealed to me as useful, potentially effective strategies for Filipino contexts

The second set of work sessions, conducted at the University of Kassel in Germany in June of 2005, were much more tedious. These sessions were focused on the development of very specific modules to be included in the SUCOC curriculum.

The starting point was to go over the different modules of the Humanistic Continuing Education Program for Training Management. It was agreed that these modules could serve as the basic framework for the proposed MA SUCOC Program in U.P, with the consideration that while the MA Industrial Organizational Psychology (I/O Psych) program of UP tended to be heavy on theory, the proposed MA SUCOC program would be more applied. Hence, the target markets for the two programs would be substantially different, and therefore the two programs would not compete with each other.

The first of these UNIK work sessions formulated the goals of the MA SUCOC program and defined its target group. It was agreed that the overall goal of the program would be to develop a new breed or profession of supervisors in the Philippines. Consequently, the relevant target group characteristics were identified, and the eligibility criteria for prospective students were also determined.


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The basic ideology of the SUCOC program was also discussed by the team, leading to the identification of four categories considered as the basics and areas of development:

1) humanistic personal identity

2) theoretical basics

3) applied techniques and methods

4) process awareness and professional identity.

In my view, these four categories were very substantial already and were significantly different from the I/O Psych program that I was also involved in. I also felt that these categories reflected the more applied emphasis of the SUCOC program, which to my mind was one of the glaring weaknesses of the MA I/O Psych program.

I was particularly interested in the third and fourth categories which included topics not usually covered in traditional programs in the Philippines. These topics varied from e-learning, contract setting, creative methods (for the third category) and process-awareness courses such as intercultural competence, that were meant to give action-oriented support to future supervisors (for the fourth category).

The subsequent work sessions in UNIK were highly productive because at the end of all these sessions, the SUCOC team had come up with specific modules, with course descriptions, and course objectives or goals, along with the proper sequence of their offering, credits, workloads and tentative staff assignments for each of the modules. The program was initially designed to take up four semesters for fulltime students.

In addition to identifying and designing the specific modules of the program, the sessions also included an opportunity for the Filipino members of the team to experience first hand the supervision process from a trained supervisor from UNIK. This was a very valuable experience for me, and at that time I already took note of the importance of that learning process for all students doing work in Organizational Psychology.

After the work sessions in UNIK, the SUCOC German team members conducted some experimental workshops, based on the modules just designed in the UNIK sessions, in UP. I was able to participate in three of these workshops, specifically the workshop on Basics of Supervision, and on Psychodrama and the Personal Growth workshop. Both were significant learning experiences for me as OD practitioner. So, I was at this time becoming more and more convinced of the success of the MA SUCOC program.

Aurora Odette C. Mendoza

Born May 2, 1957

Educational Attainment: PhD Psychology 2004 Univ of the Philippines-Diliman

MS Psychology 1983 Univ of Wisconsin

BS Psychology 1977 Univ of the Philippines-Diliman


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Klagenfurt, 18.06.2008

1.4 Process documentation as a component of organizational learning

Tina Rabl

When we look at organisations we can see two different spheres of relevance. On the one hand there is

a system of relations between functionally different departments; on the other hand any relationship is

also an interpersonal one. The dynamics of an organisation is the result of the interaction between those

two (the formal and the personal) systems. It can be described theoretically, but a better understanding

can be reached only through experience-based and experience-oriented learning processes, which is

typical in the field of group dynamics and organisation development. Metaphorically speaking, if

someone wants to learn about the taste of a Philippine mango he or she could either read or listen to

descriptions or could just bite into it and taste it. This approach is not completely risk-free (the chosen

fruit might be unripe or foul). To some extent it is always trial and (hopefully harmless) error.

Generally speaking and seen anthropologically, human beings are social beings. We are parts and

members of social contexts (like family, clan, tribe, company, political party, religious community, clubs

etc.). Due to the “functional differentiation” of societal subsystems it is characteristic for modern societies,

that we have numerous memberships at the same time (the more traditional a society is, the less

complicated the set of memberships would be). It is only sometimes that we seem to be merely

individuals outside of social bonds.

And in many ways our different memberships – apart from our being individuals – often do not fit into an

overall picture without certain frictions. This puts us into a field of contradicting interests and forces us to

develop some skills to balance the contradictions. And exactly this characterizes our life in organisations.

What comes to it: Depending on the culture the focus here is either more on the side of the systems and

social contexts we belong to (families, clans or tribes) or on the side of individuality (which is typical for

the western societies). Normally, the balancing of contradicting interests, coming out of different system-

related demands, is done unconsciously, without attention, more instinct-based than by reflection.


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Experience based learning

What does this mean for learning processes when the issue is organisation dynamics?

It means that we have to look for possibilities to support reflection rather than to offer knowledge that can

be reproduced on demand. Raising consciousness is especially necessary in situations where a lot of

differences need to be handled. Amongst these the intercultural issue is predominant in global

cooperation. The learning philosophy is that from their approach group dynamics and organisation

development take this into account.

The idea of experience-based learning goes back to the American philosopher John Dewey who

introduced the term “learning by doing” (some wisecracked “learning by Dewey”). The function of theory

in such learning

processes is to analytically differentiate complex social relationships and interdependencies. And the

function of methods is that they are good for the learning transfer into the participants’ lives in their

groups and organisations. The goal of such trainings is therefore firstly to perceive, observe, describe

and analyze group- and organisational processes, and secondly to deduct possibilities for interventions

into those social contexts where newly found insights can possibly be applied.

The origins of group dynamics lie with Kurt Lewin, a German psychologist who had to immigrate to the

US. Scientifically Lewin came out of “gestalt-psychology”. In his concept of “action research” he claimed

that there is an inseparable connection of knowledge and its application, of theory and practice. “You

understand more of a social system when you have changed it”, Lewin said, and “There is nothing more

practical than a good theory”. Re-introduced into Europe after WW 2 group dynamics merged with the

idea of emancipatory enlightenment and became part of an almost revolutionary movement. As a matter

of principle people started to question any form of authority that no longer was just taken for granted.

In learning processes within seminars about group and organisation dynamics the establishment of

reflection and feedback is easier said than done, even for professionals. To cognitively and emotionally

get hold of all relevant and critical incidents in a given social situation needs some experience and skill.

This is even more the case when the goal is to create a reflective community, rather than as a teacher

being the expert and telling inexperienced participants how things have to be understood. The higher the

number of participants, the higher is the possible complexity.

As a professional principle consultants and trainers are therefore well advised not to work alone. Besides

that it has turned out to be helpful if a documentation and evaluation runs parallel to the workflow. We

have done this often in diverse in-company curricula and programs when social skills are part of the

learning ambition. Admittedly, it does create some costs, but the benefit is always worth it.

In our context, evaluation is the collection, analysis and feedback of different types of data or information,

respectively.


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- First: there is the flip-chart-protocol that covers the step-by-step-process of the seminar – with

questions to be worked on, exercises, results of work groups, theoretical inputs and descriptions of

the situation (structure and process) in the “here-and-now”. Some flip-charts are already written in

respect of later documentation.

- This information is secondly fed into the regular staff-meetings in the workshop breaks. The

permanent analysis of the data helps to adapt the program to both the current situation and the

overall learning objectives.

- Third: the feedback of the process data to the participants serves as a consciousness raising input

(to better understand the connection of issues and situational factors) and material for the

documentary protocol. In certain cases the protocol can also be used as information for external

people like clients or employers. In other cases it is useful for participants if they wish to work on

certain specific issues in a later stage of their learning career.

It also rationalizes the occasional bewilderment and destabilization in experienced-based and here-and-

now-oriented learning processes.

The importance of the initial situation

It is not easy to say when an event really starts. It varies from person to person because of the possibility

to interpret “start” differently. For some it is the given time in the calendar of events, for others it is when

the teacher raises his or her voice for the first time. Is the start when the speaker after some preliminary

small talk comes to the point or is it the time when someone decided to be a participant? There are quite

some possibilities. It may look random but seen from a certain distance one can get the impression that

in an unconscious way the beginning is set deliberately. Whatever the case may be – the individual

behaviour of participants and the specific emotionalisation is connected with the conceptions of start.

The start of a seminar in group dynamics and organisation development – together with the concomitant

process documentation – is paid special attention to. This comes from the experience that start-ups are

generally an important situation because they set directions and standards. Therefore they are

somewhat tense and irritating, anyhow they are charged up with emotions.

To conduct workshops means that two spheres of relevance need to be observed and taken care of, the

formalities (like time frame, schedule, the room, the seating order, the number of participants, their

backgrounds as far it is known from the application form etc.) and the informal (the sequence of arriving

and entering the room, who sits next to whom, what can be read from the faces, the ratio of men and

women present, reactions to the setting etc.)

Due to a certain lack of authoritarian guidance, steering and control a rather unusual space is opened

up, a space to think, reflect and manoeuvre. And generally it takes some time until everybody feels

secure enough to use this space. The emotions in this stage of the process contradict each other, within


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persons as well as in between them. The eagerness to learn something new is e.g. confronted with a

self-defensive attitude with regard to the knowledge brought along. For trainers it is quite challenging to

find the right timing when to fulfil expectations and when to frustrate or protract this fulfilment.

It does not necessarily help much to explain the learning philosophy up front. What is said at that time is

not necessarily listened to very carefully, as a participant one can be heavily engaged in other interesting

questions. (Who is here? Who will I be in this group? Will there be conflicts? Will it be nice? …)

Nevertheless explanations are given and a few significant distinctions are introduced to understand

experience-oriented learning. Firstly there is distinction between the WHAT (the content level) and the

HOW (the social form of the content) of communications. And secondly it is pointed out that learning

takes place in three different respects:

There is learning through acting (case studies, role plays), learning through observations (and feedback)

and learning from theory. The chronologic sequence in experience-oriented learning is organised in a

way that theoretical models come afterwards. They should help to “digest” and better understand what

has been experienced before (in a here-and-now-exercise or a there-and-then-case-study).

The peculiarity of initial situations with their emotional charging limits the intellectual capacities on the

side of participants to become contentual too early anyway. In this sense initial situations offer a chance

to enter the learning process from a different side. From an open status-quo-analysis and an

epistemological approach called “scenic understanding” we can enter into a type of self-reflection that is

strongly supported by process documentation. In those fields in social sciences that tried to integrate

ideas from cybernetics and constructivism the second-order-observations – the observation of the

observers – became an important element in theory. To observe observations (not only observe but

discuss them) develop a social system into higher stages of consciousness about themselves. The

practical dimension of such endeavor is evident: we gain a possibility of communicating about

differences, contradictions and other situational (potential) problems without accidentally falling into

confrontation. In cross-cultural cooperation this might even be especially important.

Tina Rabl, Mag. Ph. Studies in philosophy, group dynamics, communication science at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria (master thesis on mediation); Member of the arbitration committee at Klagenfurt University, Austria; Practical experience as: - Mediator – ADR, officially registered at the Austrian Ministry of Justice (focus on economy, politics, family); - Consultant (OD in profit and non profit organisations); - Coach (for managers and groups in profit and non profit organisations); - Trainer (for conflict management, group and organisational dynamics, organisational psychology, communicational competence, team development); - Teacher (several universities, adult education). Author.


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Part II

Expertise in SUCOD –

different approaches, the basics of the project work.

Dieter Goeschel

2.1 Psychodrama - A contribution to Human Resources Development

What is Psychodrama?

Psychodrama and its related methods are designed to cultivate and utilize creativity and spontaneity in psychotherapy, education and other contexts. It does this by combining the power of imagination, flexibility of drama, stimulation of action, and insights of modern psychodynamic psychology. "Also Psychodrama is unique among the psychotherapies in its capacity to address the widest range of issues: past, present and future, intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group dynamics; support education, expression, and insight; imagination and reality, emotions and cognition; spiritual, artistic, playful and political aspects; prevention, diagnosis and treatment; nonverbal communications; settings and props; and time for warming up. I am aware of no other field with so holistic an approach"1. Moreno himself, the founder of Psychodrama, called the development of psychodrama the third revolution in psychiatry after Pinel (1745-1826; unchaining of psychiatric patients in France) and Freud (1856-1939; discovery of the unconscious). Thus far he could go, because he built his methods around a philosophical system. From the early stage of his life, he combined a strongly religious thinking with social and political activities, intellectual engagement in writing and acting, later in the USA, he researched group member relations and intergroup relations and discovered the therapeutic effect of spontaneous playing on stage. He also created a new role theory of human interaction.

Psychodrama as a Method

Psychodrama is originally an action therapy, which uses movement, motion, and action as part of the therapeutic process. It uses verbalization, as well, but it attempts to integrate verbal and action techniques into a holistic process which produces insight and learning for the client. Besides therapy psychodrama has great potential to helping the normal functioning person as well. It provides many possibilities and can be used as an outside dynamic force to problem solving, conflict resolution, or decision making. It also is very useful in pedagogical or learning contexts.

Psychodrama is a system. It has order and form. It has process and organization. It is a structure for therapeutic change and personal growth. The following paragraphs discuss the elements, instruments and techniques of this system.

1 Blatner/Blatner 1988, vii


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Five instruments of psychodrama

Moreno created five elements, sometimes so called instruments, to practice his philosophically based therapy:

Stage: The stage is the space for the protagonist. Within this space he or she can enfold himself, can act out his personal drama. The environment of the necessary scene will be installed properly with all aspects needed, but with little requisites. It must not be a real theatre stage, any free space in the room can be used as "stage". On the stage everything can appear: Men, Gods, Animals, Objects, Parts of Dreams, Imaginations, Hopes, Future ideas etc. There is no limit to creativity and spontaneity neither for the director nor for the actors, except ethical considerations (i.e. violence should not be acted out in real form, only "as if").

Protagonist: The protagonist is author and actor of his own person in his own story. He shall freely and spontaneously set into action whatever he wants to explore. The more concrete he will bring his inner thought on stage, the more intensive he will experience his emotions, conflicts etc. Fear, Happiness, Love and Hate will be so strong inside himself, that he will forget about the audience, time and all his resistances, which usually keep him away from being authentic. So he can face his inner truth and act himself free to a new perspective.

Director: The director has the responsibility of directing the protagonist through the scenes and the events of the past to the point of conflict or problem resolution. The director must be a person of poise and confidence, and must be able to instil trust in the person who is working. He must skillfully work with the auxiliaries and the audience in leading them along the path of progress with the protagonist. The director must be discerning and capable of handling emotional outbursts, panic, fear, pain and the entire range of emotions which are expressed from time to time in the psychodramatic session. He must be able to both in the right time: push and stop, urge and let up, being harsh and being gentle, be firm and be permissive. All this comes with experience and training. - In one way the director must take different roles at once, being producer, counsellor, analyst, and facilitator.

Auxiliary egos: Auxiliary egos are somehow the extension of the director and the protagonist. They enforce and support the director in his work, taking and playing the roles of the persons or symbolic roles , which the protagonist needs. They have to fulfil their roles as they are pointed out by the protagonist or set in scene by the director. They act as actors, as therapeutic auxiliaries and as observers. All their experiences in their roles are being worked through in the sharing process of the group after the protagonists session.

Audience: The audience is the sounding board of the action on stage. It can either help the protagonist to be able to act on stage. It also can be a second protagonist in so far, as members of the audience identify with the problems, which are acted out on stage by the protagonist and have their own inside psychodrama going with the action. Very often groups select a person to be the protagonist who will bring a subject on stage, which will portray a conflict theme among the group itself, which the group cannot yet deal with. Usually the audience is also asked to take the role of the auxiliaries, if necessary. It depends on the ability of the group members in spite of creativity, flexibility and personal stability, weather professional trained auxiliaries have to be among the audience.


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Psychodrama Techniques

For the directing part of the method, Moreno and later his students created a lot of techniques, which can be used on the stage or in the group. Mostly used and classical are following techniques:

Role reversal: Role reversal is the techniques of the protagonist and the auxiliary exchanging places. The major participants in an interaction reverse roles. When a protagonist in psychodrama role reverses, it is a way of transcending the habitual limits of egocentricity. Role reverse is used, when the protagonist should empathize with the other persons viewpoint. It is used to help the protagonist to "get in the skin" of another person. It helps the protagonist develop a totally different perspective of a problem to see it through the eyes of another. Also it is used, while building up the scene, helping auxiliary egos to have a better understanding of their roles.

Doubling: The doubling enforces, or supports the position of the protagonist. Director, co-therapist or group members stand to the side and at a slight angle to the protagonist, trying to establish an empathetic bond with the protagonist. If necessary, the Double can express the emotions or thoughts instead of the protagonist. The double helps the protagonist say the things that are needed, but which he cannot express by himself. The protagonist may find his thoughts too fearful, too threatening, too unnatural, too painful, but nevertheless feeling. At times, the protagonist may be so restricted that the thoughts aren't at the conscious level of awareness, but when the statements are made through the double, the protagonist knows they are right, they fit.

Asides (therapeutic soliloquy): Hidden thoughts and feeling are to be expressed not directly in the course of an interaction but aside either to the floor or to the audience. The aside vocalization is used, when it might be too threatening to say them directly to the auxiliary.

Mirror: Mirroring is the techniques of having another member of the group become the protagonist to initiate or mirror the behaviour portrayed while the client observes. The protagonist stands back and watches while the role he portrayed is replayed by an auxiliary. This is a human version of videotape playback. The protagonist sees how others perceive him or her. It may be used to help individuals get more in touch with how one affects others. This techniques can be a powerful confrontational technique and must be used with discretion.

Concretization: The techniques of concretization is that of putting words or objects into action. An expression like, "that is really a weight around my neck" may be concretized by a person literally hanging on the neck of that person who has made the comment. - Objects of importance in a psychodramatic action may be given voice. They can speak to the protagonist if there is meaning and purpose to it. Concretization becomes a very effective way of expanding on meaning.

There are other techniques for warm ups and action work in the group like magic shop, feed back behind your back, death scene, future projection etc. for conflict resolution like role playing, role training, structured negotiation, coming together nonverbally, sociometric group analysis etc. for spontaneity training like theatre games, guided fantasy, free group playing on themes, playing myths, fairy tales etc. Very important in classical psychodrama is the sharing process. It is not used like a technique but should follow up each session. When a protagonist has opened himself and has shown intimate scenes


22

or topics of his life, which are usually kept hidden, he or she feels vulnerable. Feelings of guilt, or shame, or ugliness, or aloneness may flood in upon the protagonist as he or she notices how totally naked before the group he or she stands. Other group members speak about their being affected by the protagonists work and give some details about their problems in relation to the topic of the protagonist. Details in life are mostly different but the emotions are very similar from one person to the next. Feelings of anger, depression, discouragement, bitterness, hurt, loneliness, and all the rest are common to humanity. Sharing these feelings is helpful.

Psychodrama in Germany

In Germany Psycho-dramatists are associated as a section within the German Assembly of Group psychotherapy and Group dynamic (Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Gruppenpsychotherapie und Gruppendynamik ( DAGG)). This so called German Professional Association of Psychodrama (Deutscher Fachverband für Psychodrama (DFP)) has been founded in the beginning of the 70's. Since then (starting with members, which have mostly been students of Moreno himself, like Heika Straub, Grete A. Leutz, Uwe Seeger) it has now reached the size of nearly 400 members. Full Members are licensed psycho-dramatists with 4-5 years training or associated members as psychodrama-assistants with 2 years training.

There are eight Institutes of Psychodrama, one of them spreading out training courses all over Eastern Europe. Since 1975 these institutes have trained about 750- 800 Psycho-dramatists. They all offer training courses in three areas:

1. For medical doctors and psychologist further education as psychodrama-"therapists"; 2. For pedagogues and social workers further education as psychodrama-"leaders"2 3. for both of these groups basic training of two years as psychodrama-assistants.

The DFP, in cooperation with the federation of institutes, has laid out guidelines, which are to make sure, that psycho-dramatists in Germany may have a certain professional standard of training

Sceme of Training in Psychodrama in Germany (Guidelines of the Professional Association of Psychodrama)

hours Entrance 1 Entrance Seminar

2 Entrance Interviews and positive Reports 18 2

2 years 1. Level

Self-experience of Psychodrama in close group Theory, expertises Theory seminars Method , workshop, process analysis etc Method, special seminar Self-orientated studying

240 24 36 42 18 50

2-3 years 2. Level

Self-experience of Psychodrama in close group Theory, expertises Theory seminars Method , workshop, process analysis etc Method, special seminar Selforientated studying Practice and Supervision Own Group practice Documentation, Analysis, Processing Supervison Peer group Supervision

90 48 36 69 36

100 170

60 90 30

total 1166 Final Essay with practical reflexions referring to theory

Colloquium and Certification

2 This division is not understandable if one does not know about the German law situation. Only specially trained medical doctors and psychologists are allowed to title themselves as "therapists". Moreno himself never made such division. For him a trained psycho-dramatist was a Psychodrama Director.


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Summary

Psychodrama has been seen as a therapeutic method, which widens the usually narrow perspective of the classical therapy setting and is also proved capable of being used as a strong instrument in learning environments, where problem solving, conflict resolution and personal growth are to be achieved. Referring to Cosmos, Space, Time and Reality as universals it tears his principles - due to the work of the founder Jacob Levy Moreno - out of a phenomenological and expressionistic philosophical frame. From there it derives the ideas and fantasy to develop a method with instruments and techniques, using Spontaneity and Creativity as the most powerful human ability in a therapeutic environment, which uses all aspects of stage and theatre to create an action orientated therapy.

Through the psycho-dramatic process of warm-up, action and sharing, Moreno created a therapy "with the group, for the group and by the group", which, because it changes all members of the group, leads to the freedom from cultural conserves, to the development of individual personal growth and the growth of the society in a human and supportive way. Psychodrama is therefore a strong contribution to human potential development. It can and must be seen as an important part of the HPD-program within UP.

Let me as to summarize the contribution of psychodrama to the Human Potential Development refer to the most quoted poem of Jacob Levy Moreno, which is supposed to be his motto and somehow the "prayer of the Psychodrama". There were three ideas he brought together:

• the person is more than he produces; • role reversal, so that one can see the world with the others point of view; • meeting and encounter as the power of human potential development. Let's hear it in the words of the father of psychodrama in his famous "invitation to an Encounter":

More important than science is is result. One answer provokes a hundred questions.

More important than poetry is the result, one poem invokes a hundred heroic acts.

More important than recognition is the result, the result is pain and guilt.

More important than procreation is the child. More important than evolution of creation is the evolution of the creator.

In the place of the imperative steps the imperator. In the place of the creative steps the creator.

A meeting of two: eye to eye, face to face, And when you are near, I will tear your eyes out

and place them in the place of mine, and you will tear my eyes out,

and will place them instead of yours, then I will look at you with your eyes

an you will look at me with mine. Thus even the common thing serves the silence and

our meeting remains the chainless goal: The undetermined place, at an undetermined time,

the undetermined word, to the undetermined man.3

Dieter Goeschel

Universität Kassel, Fachbereich Sozialwesen / Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Institut für Soziale Therapie, Supervision und Organisationsberatung / Diplom Sozialarbeiter (Fachrichtung Soziale Therapie)

Psychodramaleiter / Supervisor (DGSV), ANSE-Delegierter

3 Moreno, Jacob Levy 1915, 2, cited in Marineau Rene F. 1989, 47/48


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2.2 The Indispensability of Organisational Consciousness Ewald E. Kra inz W hy organisat ional unconsc iousness is prevalent and why self - ref lect ion on an

organisat ional level is needed for managing modern organisat ions

The h ierarchic organisat ion as a s truc tured sys tem of communicat ions In their self -concept organisat ions see themselves as predominant ly rat ional systems, a percept ion that is suppor ted by the h ierarchic regime and the bureaucrat ic order on the one hand and wishful th ink ing that th is may be so on the other . Observed f rom the standpoint of soc ia l sc iences, an organisat ion is noth ing but a sys tem struc tur ing communicat ions, most of which fol low the top-down and bot tom-up scheme. This is indeed the greatest achievement of organisat ions as soc ial systems, and i t had taken great ef for ts to create th is type of system throughout the ages f rom the beginning of recorded h istory on. Of course there is more communicat ion going on than the of f ic ia l one, but str ic t ly

speak ing a l l of such communicat ion is cons idered to be only informal. Not necessar i ly

does th is mean that the informal communicat ion would not be inf luent ia l , as

everybody knows, on the contrary. Somet imes (as e.g. in the more spectacular case

of cor rupt ion) we have a s i tuat ion where some actors can be seen on the f ront s tage

whereas unknown forces are pul l ing the s tr ings behind the cur ta in. General ly

speak ing, there is general ly a lo t of “h idden agenda” around.

W e could look at such phenomena f rom an eth ica l point of v iew, but coming f rom the

scient i f ic f ie ld of group dynamics and organisat ion development I would rather

recommend cons ider ing the problems of organisat ions in a more sober-minded

pr inc ipal and less value-based way. Value-based opin ions may be wel l- intent ioned

but theoret ica l ly they are rather superf ic ia l . As we can see problems ar ise even i f

there is no bad in tent at a l l .

I f we take a look at the bot tom-up communicat ion along the report ing l ines we wi l l

f ind that most people do not (only) repor t what they have to say on a s tr ic t ly factual

bas is . They rather do i t under the widely unconsc ious and somet imes tac t ica l ca lcu lus

how the rec ip ient of the message is l ike ly to take i t . To some extent th is is a very


25

general phenomenon and i t obvious ly a lso appl ies to top-down communicat ion, a

constant source of var ious k inds of “misunderstandings”.

But report ing bottom-up is usual ly more “dangerous” when i t comes to immediate

consequences, than communicat ing top-down. Something l ike a “psychological f i l ter”

seems to be in operat ion, leaving the h igher up levels of our h ierarchies largely

uniformed about the true c ircumstances of di f f icul t ies people fur ther down might

struggle wi th.

Even though there is much malpract ice I bel ieve that such problems come “natural” ,

so to speak, they emerge out of the sys tem features wi thout being consc iously

created. Much of what is going on in organisat ions is unconsc ious. W e seem to pay a

pr ice. Organisat ional soc iet ies ( there are others) come along wi th what we cal l

“c iv i l isat ions”. Indeed, we are soc ia l beings, but phylogenet ica l ly we are not

“programmed” for the soc ia l format organisat ion. Modern organisat ions – that are

those that cannot only be run by a mere command-and-contro l sys tem – overwhelm us

wi th their complex ity. Nowhere can we see th is c learer than when i t comes to cross-

funct ional communicat ion and cooperat ion.

To use the word “natura l” wi th re lat ion to organisat ions is somehow paradox because

organisat ions as soc ia l bodies are ent ire ly ar t i f ic ia l . I t is smal l groups that we have

learned to l ive in; our behaviour there can be cal led “natura l” . Even i f much of i t is

inst inct-based and not very ref lected, we cannot go too wrong. At least there has to

be drawn a d ist inct ion when i t comes to evaluate whether a spec if ic behaviour is

appropr iate rather in organisat ions or rather in groups. To overcome the constra ints

of dec is ion mak ing some people in leading pos it ions – apar t f rom

cons ider ing facts and f igures and not ic ing how bad their cer ta inty real ly is – tr y out

for tune te l l ing, intu it ion, or they re ly on d iverse types of re l ig ion, help i t as i t may.

Hence i t comes that leaders are s l i ther ing between modest care-tak ing and their

suscept ib i l i t y to personal vanit ies, and employees swing between int im idat ion and

loyal ty to the organisat ion they belong to.

Organisat ions include and exc lude selected spheres of real i t y

Much of what is going on in organisat ions is rather unconsc ious, dr iven by unknown

or at least unnot iced forces. And qui te some phenomena even seem to be over t ly

ir rat ional. The term “unconsc ious” here is not used in the psychoanalyt ic sense, when

suppressed emot ions and ear ly ch i ldhood traumas of ind iv iduals come into

perspect ive. The “unconsc ious” and “ ir rat ional” of organisat ions refer to more or less

h idden spheres of real i t y and provide a terminological reservoir for a l l poss ib le


26

reasons for d isturbances and insuf f ic ienc ies in processes that are meant to be

f r ic t ion less. Unexpectedly and seemingly out of th in air matters that were not thought

of by the re levant leaders of organisat ions engaged in dec is ion-making processes

appear in a troublesome manner.

The oppos ites rat ional- ir rat ional and consc ious-unconscious must be l inked to

another contras t, that of inc lus ion and exc lusion. In th is sense we f ind a pecul iar

sp l i t t ing and sector iza t ion of real i t y. Of course th is creates problems for the contro l of

organisat ions because the excluded par ts of real i t y – a l l k inds of emotions e.g. that

seem to s tand in the way of str ic t ly work-re lated procedures – have a tendency to pop

up unexpectedly. Nevertheless, this sector izat ion is something fundamental, in a way

essent ia l for the h ierarchic model. Systems of th ink ing ( l ike the d iverse modern

sciences) as wel l as soc ia l systems ( the way people l ive and work together in a

smaller , e.g. a company, or a larger f ramework , e.g. a cul ture) es tabl ish commitments

and mark out c la ims to val idi ty that per def ini t ion exc lude any other theoret ica l

poss ib i l i t ies as the negat ive of themselves. Standards are set up, the l im its to

to lerance of deviat ions la id down, contro l systems created, v io lat ions of rules are

prosecuted, taboos are establ ished, etc. In order to reta in their funct ional i t y, sys tems

need borders , and the drawing of borders fundamental ly a lso impl ies exc lus ion.

Here we are faced wi th a pecul iar i t y of modern t imes and their spec if ic concept ions of

real i t y in European phi losophy. And wi th the g lobal ized capi tal ism – a lso a European

bra in chi ld – th is mindset spreads wor ldwide. Modern natura l sc ience is character ized

by i ts mathemat ica l and analyt ica l gr ip upon real i t y and i ts in terest in the technical

and ins trumental at tempts to contro l, shape and create real i t y. This became the

dominant form of th ink ing in the younger h istory, and at the same t ime a way of

def in ing real i t y. W hat was not measurable had ei ther to be made measurable or i ts

status as a subjec t of sc ience was denied. This is the way Gal i leo Gal i le i expressed

h imself , and prec isely in th is tradi t ion stand those cons iderat ions of F.W . Taylor,

which he h imself cal led “sc ient i f ic management” (not by acc ident , but wi th a pret ty

unambit ious and s imple understanding of “sc ience”) . This provided the bas is for

Henry Ford ’s assembly- l ine product ion and of fered a general model for organisat ions,

not only in manufactur ing.

Systems of th is k ind cal l themselves sc ient i f ic or rat ional, but th is has noth ing to do

wi th truth or reason, a lthough both are of ten being equated. One of the major

ir rat ional i t ies is a very common habi t in organisat ions, we make p lans. He who p lans

conjures what should happen tomorrow. At least half of i t is purely i l lus ionary, is

numerology, the magic of f igures. “Rat ional i ty” in organisat ions is in th is sense then

of ten noth ing but a synonym for a certa in d isc ipl ine of speak ing, th ink ing, ca lculat ing


27

and behaving, l im ited by taboos and prohib it ions of speak ing. “Unconsc ious” is , what

cannot be ta lked about for var ious reasons. W hat is label led rat ional is , wi th respect

to cognit ion, a mat ter of standpoint; seen social ly, i t is mat ter of power or a quest ion

of the appl icable s tandards.

The immanent def ini t ion of rat ional i t y or ients i tself exc lusive ly according to the

logical ly object ive funct ional i t y of organisat ion, being ( in the or ig inal meaning of the

word “organisat ion”) a tool for achieving def ined goals . There is a hor izonta l and

vert ica l d iv is ion of labour ; there are ( formal) organisat ional structures and

( intent ional) processes, only the “human fac tor” causes trouble. The foundat ion of

th is problem was a lready la id down by the mathematica l-analyt ica l sp ir i t of the

modern age, but i t is fur ther intensif ied by the trans it ion f rom organisat ions under

personal (of ten patr iarchal) leadership to pure ly funct ional organisat ions dr iven by

CEOs under the contro l of supervisory boards. The reduct ion of human beings to

mere bearers of funct ions, their technisat ion, their formation to a small par t of a mega

machine cal led organisat ion, the repress ion of emot ions that th is requires, a l l th is

was a imed at and just as certa in ly never complete ly achieved; the complete h istory of

labour in modern t imes is a proof of th is.

Problems with the emotional s ide of l i fe in organisat ions

Although there is no lack of people whose at t i tude to work amounts to a form of se lf -

explo itat ion, as a ru le suppressed emot ions are source of d isturbance at a l l levels of

the h ierarchy. Two ef fects of the attempt to c lear organisat ions of emotions can be

recognized. F irs t ly the d iv is ion of spheres of l i fe was enforced - in to work and le isure,

into profess ional and pr ivate l ives , which a lso gave r ise to cer ta in concept ions of

happiness and meaning of l i fe. Secondly emot ional needs cannot be ent irely pushed

of f into the a lready overburdened pr ivate sphere. They cont inue to l ive

subcutaneous ly wi th in the organisat ion, f low into the informal sys tem f rom where they

develop their ef fect iveness and of ten cause those very d if f icu lt ies that, accord ing to

the of f ic ia l organisat ional ru les and regulat ions, don' t exis t . But much of what

const i tutes l i fe in our organisat ions der ives f rom the dif f icu lt ies of defence against

the return of the exc luded.

In the at tempt to overcome old constra ints, not only new opportuni t ies developed, but

a lso new constra ints; in the attempt to conceptual ize organisat ion rat ional ly and

wi thout log ical contradict ions, the ir rat ional was ver i tably created, contradic t ions

were generated. F irst of a l l , labour was div ided, empt ied of meaning, and the

resul t ing emot ions were d irec ted in to the informal system. W hen they pop up they

express themselves in a manner inappropr iate to the rat ional i t y of the organisat ion


28

and thus are suppressed again. And in the end we are surpr ised to see “ ir rat ional”

react ions on the par t o f the people involved. In rare cases some are running amok,

we do know about vio lence agains t machines (as has happened dur ing certa in per iods

of the pro letar ian revolut ion counteract ing the industr ia l revolut ion in Europe), but

avers ion to work and de-mot ivat ion are pret ty widespread. W ork to ru le can be used

to ser ious ly h inder work processes, and a certa in select ion of information upwards

can be used to cause damage to the system.

As a result of the development just sketched out, s teer ing organisat ions today a lso

means to somehow sens it ively manage the emotional sphere – not for fun, though,

and not because of noble motives. The s i tuat ion today reminds us how Taylor ism was

overcome by the “human relat ions movement” . This was less the express ion of ef for ts

to humanize labour than the real izat ion that soc ia l re lat ionships in organisat ions are

a separate and h ighly re levant sphere of real i t y which for th is reason is bet ter to be

taken into account .

As soon as organisat ions (and the indiv iduals wi th in) do not have to f ight for their

surv iva l , l ike e.g. enterpr ises in highly compet i t ive markets, we can reckon wi th the

“return of the suppressed” , as psychoanalys is would formulate i t . On the other hand,

in t imes of stagnat ion the quest for the meaning of i t a l l l ingers in the background.

The according cons iderat ions can’ t be kept away f rom problems in organisat ions

complete ly, neither in the every-day profess ional l i fe , nor in seemingly str ic t ly

bus iness-re lated quest ions l ike which the most promis ing strategy would be. Too

art icu late are the uneasy feel ings we have when fac ing the wor ldwide overexplo i ta t ion

of the environment , overpopulat ion, radioact ive waste and weapons, internat ional

terror ism and more issues of that k ind. I t looks as though we are facing a counter-

current: The funct ional ly d if ferent iated and systemical ly exc luded spheres of real i t y

and re levance make themselves not iceable and ar ise out of a reservoir of “col lect ive

unconsc iousness” .

Large parts of the emotional l i fe are ir r i ta t ing for the concept of organisat ional

rat ional i t y. “Cl imate” , “cu lture”, “corporate ident i t y” and so for th – a l l those concepts

can only par t ly be understood rat ional ly and analyt ica l ly and can not be calculated

mathemat ica l ly. How much are the costs of a certa in ongoing conf l ic t? W hat does the

motivat ion of s taf f yie ld? Can one invest in the organisat ional c l imate? How much

money can be spent on team work? Quest ions l ike that cannot be answered in terms

of costs wi thout doing v iolence to them; they obvious ly overstra in the usual

ca lcu lat ion schema. Remember: W hat cannot be measured must be ir rat ional ,

accord ing to the analyt ica l model . The rat ional, on the other hand, we could contrast ,

is not the reasonable as such, but a cross-sect ion through real i t y, an arb i trary

boundary. Espec ia l ly the afore mentioned aspects reveal the adverse and


29

inconvenient emot ional and funct ional ef fects of arbi trar i l y drawn boundar ies , as wel l

as the def ic iency of one-dimens ional prof i tab i l i t y ca lcu lat ions: d irec t prof i t is of ten

indirect ly unprof i tab le.

Overcoming system resistance and managing the h ierarchy cr is is

Hierarchy is the predominant soc ia l s truc ture of any larger organisat ion that we know.

There is a number of d isadvantageous emotional ef fects d irec t ly coming f rom the of

h ierarchy as such – fe igned adaptat ion to demands, resignat ion, lack of ideas,

oppos it ion, a lack of ident i f icat ion, de-motivat ion and so for th. They run counter to

the dec lared a im of h ierarchy to be a rat ional coord inat ion of the spheres of d ivided

labour.

Hierarchy is the logic of western th ink ing coagulated in to a soc ial s truc ture. I t is a

sys tem l ike the ax ioms, the bas ic assumpt ions of mathemat ics . The main idea is the

achievement of unambiguousness and the e l im inat ion of contradict ing ideas and

act ions. So i t is a lso character is t ic of h ierarchy to oppose other forms of

organisat ion. But the h igher the degree of complex ity is , the smal ler the poss ibi l i t y to

control people and processes wi l l be and hierarchy has unwi l l ingly to loosen up the

t ight gr ip. Here h ierarchy f inds i tse lf entangled in a d i lemma. On the one hand

h ierarchy is ind ispensable as a structure, wi thout i t organisat ions would fa l l apar t . On

the other hand h ierarchy has obviously reached the l im its of capabi l i t ies , the power to

control and even e legance. Hierarchy is too s low, too r ig id, too inef f ic ient and too

ceremonia l. H ierarchy cannot cope wi th tasks that require a rapid adaptat ion to

environmental condi t ions or to arrange cooperat ion between dif ferent organisat ions.

In the meant ime, organisat ions s tart not ic ing these c ircumstances and try to

compensate for the cr is is of h ierarchical systems by a lternat ive forms of organisat ion.

The most important and a lso common form in pract ice is project management .

Projec ts are cross-funct ional structures; they cut across the h ierarchical features of

the organisat ion. They involve people because of their exper t ise, not pr imar i ly

because of their ranks. The projec t members come f rom dif ferent depar tments , areas

or d isc ip l ines of the organisat ion and f rom di f ferent levels of the h ierarchy. This is

done in order to create more in tel l igent task forces and to come to qual i t y-assured

dec is ions more quick ly. But doing so, h ierarchy has unknowingly created a systemic

contradic t ion to i tse lf . Unsurpr is ingly, the establ ishment of projects therefore of ten

meets res istance wi th in organisat ions, even on the part of the people responsib le for

their establ ishment.


30

Management by projec ts is being used to compensate for the def ic ienc ies of the

h ierarchical system. The assumpt ion that management by projects can be used s imply

as an addit ional ins trument wi thout quest ioning the organisat ion as a whole rapidly

proves i l lusory. Only very few are aware that they are engaged in contradic t ing forms

of organisat ion wi th in their own organisat ion. A projec t is a system in a system, and

the contradict ions towards each other can be ass igned to four f ie lds – organisat ional

features, struc ture and process, at t i tudes and behaviour, sk i l l requirements.

Managing projec ts br ings wi th i t the necess i ty to in troduce systemic self - ref lec t ion in

an environment that is not bui l t for such attempts. This is quite a task for project

managers because what therefore can be expected is a counter react ion that we cal l

“sys tem res is tance”. Never theless there is increas ingly no way to avoid the

development of organisat ional consc iousness. As a paradox, th is is the advantage of

conf l ic ts . For ref lec t ion or ig inates at the points of f racture and problems,

consc iousness develops through contradict ions.

Perhaps as a result , l i fe is not made eas ier for h ierarchies, for mot ivat ional reasons

we wish to increase the personal involvement on al l levels of hierarchy but th is a lso

increases the potent ia l for conf l ic t . The creat ion of organisat ional consc iousness

means an involvement in bas ical ly unavoidable contradict ions that were for the

longest t ime ignored by the “rat ional” model of modern organisat ions. In th is sense,

we are l iv ing in an in teres t ing era. There is a lot of learn ing, tra in ing and qual i f icat ion

for th is “meta-object ive” s t i l l ahead of us .

Ewald E. Krainz, Dr.

Professor fo r Group Dynam ics and Organ is at ion Deve lopment , Un iv . K lagenfur t , Aus t r ia

S tud ies in humani t ies and soc ia l sc iences in V ienna, doc tora te in psycho logy 1975, hab i l i t a t i on on “The Morpho logy o f the Soc ia l W or ld” 1997, s ince then pro fessor fo r g roup dynam ics and organ isat ion deve lopment a t K lagenfu r t Un i ve rs i t y ;

Deve lopment o f the sc ient i f i c headquar te r o f the A us t r ian group dynam ics and OD net work , head o f the headquar t er ;

In t ra - and ext ra -mura l t eac h ing and t ra i n ing ac t i v i t i es ; concept ion and cha i r ing o f numerous cur r i cu l a , coach ing o f managers and exec ut ives ;

Focus on p ro j ec t management , conf l i c t management , l eadersh ip , team deve lopment , g roup and organ isat i on dynam ics , soc ia l and communicat iona l competence;

Author and ed i t o r o f numerous books and a r t i c les ;

G lobet ro t t i ng as resea rche r , consu l tant and t ra i ne r in d iverse f ie lds and wi th d i verse o rgan isat i ons and groups o f peop le i n the mega c i t ies o f the cap i t a l i s t wo r l d and in th resho ld c ount r ies ;

Research t r i ps to pa r ts o f the wor l d and c iv i l i sa t ions outs ide o f the occ identa l c ap i ta l i s t sphere o f in f luence, e thno log ic and c omparat i ve re l i g ious s tud ies .


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2.3 The emotional lining of an organization

Karin Lackner

Most of our lifetime we are living in and dealing with organizations. It is not our most favorite structure of

being, but we are just so used to it that we hardly ever reflect organization and our mental state to have

the same derivation. Many of the emotional phenomena within organizations are due to structural

prerequisites and the way people are linked together by this structure. In this paper I would like to focus

on the emotional challenges due to the structural architecture of an organization. Although we are talking

a lot about networking these days, there still exists a basic pattern for organizations. Basically the main

structural foundation of organizations is hierarchy, no matter how strict or how liberal it is laid out, how

lean or how steep it is designed. In the following sketches I’d like to show some of the emotional

moments and sentiments that occur because of the structural pattern of organizations. Acting and

reacting emotionally in organizational contexts is not necessarily an individual personality trait. Emotional

reactions of individuals can also be seen as answers to systemic patterns that induce irritations to the

individual. Emotions, deriving from individual personality patterns, though also important when dealing

with mental states, are not the main issue in this article.

The first subsystems that come to mind when following the hierarchical pattern are individuals. Each one

of them is assigned with a special task, thus, taking over one particular part of the whole. For the

individual employee it is not necessary to deal with or to know about the motives or the strategic policies

of the organization. E.g., designing, producing and selling a car it is not done by a group of people in

unison4. Rather, they are subdivided into sections like engineering, sales, controlling – just to mention a

few according to our example chosen. Each section hires specialists like engineers and sales people

who, in turn, cannot be exchanged against each other via job rotation. Their individual expertise has to

be coordinated on a higher hierarchical level, where all information necessary to produce a car is

gathered and decisions can be made. When looking at organizations from this perspective, it becomes

apparent that the underlying pattern is the division of labor. One way to capture the division of labor is to

draw an organizational chart, illustrating how people are connected by the organizational structure and

displaying who supervises whom and is supervised by whom.

4 Lately a new approach in redisigning organizations has come to attention: the open source innovation processes. One of the projects is called Open - Source - Cars Oscar where in the end, every participant should be able to produce his or her car. (Honsig, 2006, In: Blutner,D. &. von Lüde, R.: Akteurskompetenz und Entscheidungslogiken in Prozessen von Open Source Innovation. In: Wetzel,R., Aderhold,J., Rückert-John,J. (Hrsg.): Die Organisation in unruhigen Zeiten. Heidelberg 2009).


32

Individuals are linked together through subjugation. The system divides between superiors and

subjugates. Sectors originate as a consequence of the division of labor. The nature of construction is

“either - or” and thus follows the principles of logic. Membership is unambiguous. Management implies

and stands for: subjugation, control, subsumption, dependency.

When giving a lecture on organization, I usually start with a simple exercise and collect freely spoken

associations to the terms “group” and “organization”. The result is always the same and insofar

predictable: The terms expressed for “group” are emotionally connoted in a rather positive way. For

example participants associate community, warmth, discussion, participation, affiliation, belonging,

membership. Only after a while, they also find terms that stand for pressure, conformance claims,

suppression on individual interests and others. Thus, groups are primarily experienced as welcoming and

comfortable.

This is rather different when looking at the terms expressed for organizations. They are emotionally

connoted in a rather negative way. At first, participants come up with associations such as hierarchy,

rules and regulations, authority, pressure red tape and order. Again after some time, there also appear

terms of more positive connotation such as security, safety and reliability. Hence, organizations are

primarily experienced as abstract, inhuman, structured and not at all cozy and welcoming.

It is amazing how naturally we deal with organizations, given the evidence that we don’t really appreciate

them emotionally. This might lead to the assumption that these rather predictable results, as discovered

by many retries of the exercise with different people, are due to probably more than the aforementioned

“being just used to organizations”.

To explain this phenomenon we have to understand “groups”. It’s characteristics, the principles of it’s

structure and it’s historical background. When we talk about groups, we act on the assumption of a

limited number of people. Whenever face to face communication between the group members - we call it

direct communication - is no longer possible, groups disaggregate. Group members build subgroups until

the direct communication pattern is restored.5

Considering the age of structures in the history of humanity, groups are by far the eldest social figure.

Mankind used to live in group formations for about 3.5 to 4 million years. For our prehistoric ancestors,

the group was the only way to survive in the rather untamed surroundings of tribal cultures. Individuality

5 This definition of groups including only the number of people interwined in direct communication follows the European tradition of group dynamics. There are other controversial views that define groups as a mass of people without referring to a limited number.

ORGANIZATION SEEN AS INTERLOCKED INDIVIDUALS (Abb.1)


33

meant not to belong to a tribe and clearly was a deadly fate. It simply did not exist as a form of living. As

a result, many of our behavioral patterns and affectations we owe to our prehistoric past.

Another reason for our sympathy for groups may be found in the way we have been raised. Most people

grow up in families. The family group is our first social experience. Especially in the beginning, during the

first three to six years, the learning pattern is not a rationalized one. We grow up learning through

emotions that we experience within the family, the exercise, the practice, the routine, its relatedness and

connectedness. We are molded to groups and group affections.

Organizations cannot reproduce the emotional connectedness of family structures, nor can organizations

reproduce the emotional security of tribal structures. Organization is furthermore not constructed to

provide direct communication for all the members involved. Organizations outnumber by far the limits of

group members, if we define group as a network of direct communication patterns. Organizations

therefore have to deal with the permanent challenge of organizational imperatives and group needs.

Considering the mentioned perspectives, what are the challenges of organizations for the individuals

involved?

Organizational challenges:

1. Indirect communication

Taking a look at the different communication structures and patterns of groups and organizations, we will

get another reference as to why we rather dislike organizations at first glance. In a group setting, grown

up human beings can only communicate directly with others up to a number of 15 – beyond that number,

the group is likely to disintegrate into smaller sub-groups. This is already a theoretical quantity meaning

that the probability that 15 people will communicate with each other directly is about 50%. In other words,

15 is an inappropriate number of people when face-to-face communication is required. According to our

experiences with group communication, the maximum number is actually 12.

As mentioned above, whenever there are more people involved in communication, the group splits up

into subsystems. Assumed that subgroups discuss the same topic, results will have to be coordinated. In

case of a decision making process, communication will be coordinated via subgroups sending

representatives to a newly found board. Within this board of representatives, interests of the involved

subgroups will be considered and taken into account for final decisions.

This can be seen as the beginning, the initiation, of organization. An organization can therefore be seen

as a communication system, where direct communication between participants is no longer possible.

Communication has to be organized and conducted by representatives. For the remaining individuals –

the ones that are not delegated to the newly found board – it implies that decisions are made on behalf of

their concerns. They do not take part in the decision making process, although they are affected by the

decision made by others, the representatives. In organizations decisions about the fate of individuals are

made without the participation of the same individuals. Eventually, the decision-making process takes

place without the aggrieved parties. People become dependent.


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The members of the newly found board build a new group. They too will experience connectedness after

a while. In case of disagreement on the subjects to decide, they might agree on a compromise or even

decide consensually. Each party gives in a little and accepts parts of the others’ positions. When back in

their original groups, representatives announce the achieved results and are immediately confronted with

the group’s disappointment after figuring out that their original interest has not been achieved by a 100%

by their representatives. Summarizing we can state that whenever a systems consists of more than 12 to

15 members, direct communication is no longer possible. Communication has to be organized by

representatives. The more numerous the organization, the more indirect the communication becomes.

2. The incompatibility of visions

Due to the afore mentioned division of labor as being one of the most prominent pattern of

organizations, tasks are simultaneously coped with in different sections of the organization.

These tasks have to be coordinated on higher levels. What exactly do the ones on higher levels

do? They exchange information, give explanations when necessary, defend their scheme and try

to convince the other section partners of their particular strategy. Each party has brought in

results, strategies and points of view, all according to their specific way of how to cope with the

task. Engineers for example would always vision the most perfect technological resolution,

whereas sales and marketing people would always refer to the most obvious customers´ needs.

Rarely do outcomes of such interpretations match. Ultimately, what has to be done on such

coordinative levels is to negotiate and to cope with unavoidable conflicts that go along with

negotiations.

ORGANIZATION SEEN AS INTERLOCKED SECTIONS (Abb.2)

Each section has it’s own internal thinking (e.g. the logic of engineering contradicts the logic of sales).

Sections are linked together either by top management or by organizational substructures like project

management. The nature of construction is “as well as” following the principles of dialectics. Membership

is functional. Management means interface management and negotiation.


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3. The overlapping time structure – temporal coincides

While different parts of the task are coordinated on higher levels of hierarchy, the workflow proceeds in

diverse sections, getting ready to be coordinated. Hence, coordination and workflow do not happen

chronologically but synchronously. This simultaneous action causes a certain density of time, which

increases the more complex the structure of the organization becomes. People, especially the ones in

coordinative functions, experience a continuous lack and an unavoidable acceleration of time – not

caused by inefficient time management but rather by the temporal coincides. They have a feeling of

reacting to things rather than to be able to anticipate actions.

4. Multiple membership

In the process of increasing complexity of the organizational structure, the individuals involved have to

cope with the inconveniency of becoming members in different substructures of the organization. They

are members within their original department and they may be members of different project groups,

quality circles or other short-term units. If they are in a superior position, they are not only members of

the team they are chairing, but also members of the group of superiors. The emotional challenge is the

one of loyalty. Each group a person is involved in demands a 100% loyalty and affiliation. Being a

member of different groups stresses the loyalty and affiliation of all memberships. One of the common

reactions is to “withdraw inwardly”. People find themselves reduced to their individuality, more and more

getting the feeling, that they can only depend on themselves, having lost the exclusive membership of

one group – a condition that is uncomfortable due to our primary need of affiliation combined with the

betrayal of the group’s loyalty. On the other hand, the condition is also a comfortable one in terms of the

mind-expanding feeling of autonomy and independence even if this makes one feel lonely.

ORGANIZATIONS SEEN AS OVERLAPPING SYSTEMS (Abb.3)

FAMILY PROJECT GROUP

DEPARTMENT

CUSTOMERS

QUALITY

CIRCLE


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The organization is seen from one specific person’s perspective. Perspectives develop into different

directions: up, down, sideways, close, distanced. The organization appears as a system of colliding

interests within one individual due to multiple membership. Individuals are members of different sub-

systems. They are either representatives of groups of interest or mediators amongst groups of interest.

The nature of construction is conflict oriented, following the pattern of logic when hierarchy oriented as

well as the pattern of dialectics when interface oriented. Membership is experienced as highly

ambiguous. Management means to balance needs and interests, negotiate and deal with interface

contradictions and conflicts.

When discussing multiple memberships, I would like to draw on the aforementioned situation of

supervisors. They are responsible for their employees and their capabilities as well as for the

organizational demand to fulfill their tasks according to the organizational standards and needs.

Whenever superiors negotiate tasks within their group of organizational leaders, they betray the loyalty of

the team they represent. When they announce the newly agreed requirements of the organization to their

employees, their affiliation weakens. Sometimes the reaction of the team is even hostile; at least they are

suspicious of how little their supervisor had considered their special interests. The relationship between

supervisors and team members will always be accompanied with a certain amount of mistrust.

ORGANIZATIONS SEEN AS OVERLAPPING GROUPS (Abb.4)

Groups are linked through superiors. For the superiors this means at least a dual membership. They

belong to their teams as well as to the group of superiors of the same hierarchical level. The nature of

construction is ambiguous. Management means to balance the needs of the employees and the

demands of the organization.

As mentioned before, group affiliation is one of the basic needs of mankind. Loosing the group

membership in our prehistoric past meant death. Even in medieval times, being outlawed after a trial was


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the cruelest of death penalties. Thus, we can assume that the emotional lining of group affiliation is a

very strong one. Organizations violate these feelings by structural demands. When having to face

aspects such as loosing the group’s trust, who would ever volunteer to be a representative? They have

to be granted certain privileges. Organizations guarantee those “betrayers” protection and support via

hierarchical structures – a superior hierarchical position – that provides them with the necessary authority

and of course honor their commitment with higher remuneration.

5. The trouble with hierarchy

Assuming that hierarchy is still the main structure of organizational architecture, there are some

consequences that have to be considered. First, hierarchy follows the principles of logic thinking. A point

of view is either right or wrong. Probably there are a lot of tasks within an organization that can be

decided logically, given that there is a right solution to the task.

Thus, the logic of hierarchy creates subsumption. Lower levels subjugate under higher levels of

hierarchy. Higher levels dictate and control lower levels assuming that the higher levels know the right

answers.

Information therefore has to be monopolized on the top level. Otherwise, they would not be able to

decide in categories of “right” or “wrong”. This implies that lower levels will never have all the information

necessary to decide beyond their capabilities. What happens, if a problem occurs, where there is no

logical right or wrong answer? A problem, where all contradicting positions might be right? Hierarchy can

only decide in the “either - or “ mode. Organizations on the other hand, as I have outlined before, have to

deal with quite a number of conflicts caused by a collision of interests where the principles of logics

cannot be applied. Solutions have to be found by negotiation. The parties involved cannot subjugate

each other. They will have to compromise or even find consensual resolutions. Organizations have to

provide communication settings, where negotiation processes can take place. Members of this process

are equal before the task, even if their hierarchical level might be different.

A growing complexity enriches the organization with different aspects of a task. Knowledge is growing

and so is diversity. The hierarchical reaction would be to subdivide the structure according to the different

aspects of diversity. New divisions are created and implemented into the hierarchical structure. The

growth of hierarchical structures becomes endless. Simultaneously manageability of the whole becomes

more and more difficult for the top level management. The power of hierarchy counterstrikes, weakening

the system by over-complication and complexity. It becomes more and more challenging for the top

management to keep an overview of a system that is uncontrollably increasing complexity.

Several attempts to react to the situation via organizational change – lean management, project

management and learning organizational experiments just to mention a few – have been tried out and


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applied to organizations. All attempts of implementing structural supplements are accompanied by

suspicious resistance strategies on the part of the original organizational structure, the hierarchy itself.6

6. Communication patterns

In hierarchical systems, communication flows between subordinates and superiors - or, as we would say

nowadays: between employees and their managers. The system does not provide any other possibilities.

Thus, if a problem of some sort arises in the lowest parts of hierarchy, it is reported to the supervisor,

who is reporting it to his supervisor and so on. Whenever the problem is addressed on the top level, it

has either changed its informational substance or it has been undergoing a softener program. No

employee would endanger her/his job by giving unpleasant news to her/his supervisor. They will rather

try to avoid making themselves unpopular by delivering bad news.

There might also occur misunderstandings concerning the issue to be delivered. A mere technical issue

might end up with a supervisor whose expertise is purely business related. So, she or he might not quite

understand the technical relevance of the problem. As being in a superior position, it is difficult to admit

that you haven’t any idea about the technical part of the issue. In the end, you depend on your own

interpretation of what exactly the problem could be. In turn, this is the information that will be delivered by

one supervisor to the other. Whatever information reaches the top level of decision-making is probably

not the one meant by the technician who addressed the problem in first place. Top-level managers know

about this pattern. They try to deal with the communication camouflage by creating additional

organizational structures such as project management groups and quality circles while taking into

account that the hierarchical logic will react with resistance strategies.

7. The diversion of person and function

Membership in groups is bound to people and the relationship between individuals within the group. For

group affiliation, the personality of the individual is important. This includes emotions, characteristics,

abilities, gender, age, and everything else that constitutes a personality. Furthermore, no individual in a

group can be replaced by another person.- Hierarchy in contrast is not interested in personal habits and

traits. Hierarchy is only interested in the fact that this specific person can fulfill the task required. If this is

not the case, the person will be replaced. Since functions are held by people, the organization has to

deal with this incompatibility. Accepting human oddities and needs on the one hand and guaranteeing

the performance demanded on the other hand.

8. Conclusion

To conclude, being part of an organization is stressing the individual needs. Individuals are reduced to

functions, they have to give up group affiliation needs, they have to deal with time pressure, and they are

involved in contradictions due to structural and sectional prerequisites. In the introduction of this paper, I

referred to some association experiments to the terms of group and organization. The result of these

experiments is always the same: groups are emotionally experienced rather positively, whereas

organizations are emotionally experienced in more negative terms. After the discussion of some of the

6 Ewald Krainz (19..) named these resistance strategies “system defense”. These system defence mechanisms are described in: Heintel,P. &. Krainz,E.: Projektmanagement. Wiesbaden 1988


39

reasons for these phenomena, we might understand the emotional lining. Nevertheless we have to

consider that there is a great attraction of organization to individuals. But what characterizes the

attraction to undergo all the emotional stress and harassment involved when being a member of an

organization?

Actually, it is a chance for individuals to escape group affiliation pressure and to develop authenticity and

a unique personality. It provides a possibility to be successful. It might even make careers possible. Even

if the point cannot be stressed as much to day as it used to be in former times, organizations guarantee a

certain existential security. Individuals are part of a system grand enough to challenge eternity. For many

it is a privilege to identify with a powerful corporate identity. Organizations having to face economic

difficulties and/or organizational change processes are disillusioning such beliefs of their employees. On

the emotional scale of organization processes change management therefore always triggers suspicion

first. The innovation aspect of change management can be realized only after straightening out emotional

issues.

Univ.Prof. Dr. Karin Lackner

Lehrstuhl für Organisationsberatung, Supervision und Coaching . Seit 2007 Studiendekanin am Fachbereich 04 der Universität Kassel. Leitung des Masterstudiengangs „Mehrdimensionale Organisationsberatung MDO“.

Gründung und Leitung des Instituts für Organisationsdynamik: Beratungs- und Trainingstätigkeit im In- und Ausland.

Promotion in den Fächern Psychologie, Biologie und Philosophie an der Universität Wien.

Lehrberaterin und Lehrtrainerin für Gruppendynamik und Organisationsberatung bei der ÖGGO. Supervisionsausbildung am Systemischen Institut Wien. Mitglied der DGSV.

Eingetragene Gesundheitspsychologin.

Motiv- und Interventionsforschung: Massenphänomenologie, Gruppen- und Organisationsdynamik, Sportpsychologie.

Auftragsforschungen zu Produktdialektik


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Tinos; den 12.08.2008

Hans H. Lenhard

2.4 A concept of multidimensional GESTALT- Work als Trainings- und Arbeitskonzept für SUCOC.

Seit das Modell: ESALEN, wie es zur Zeit der Mitarbeit von Fritz Perls, einem Begründer der Gestalt-

Therapie, funktionierte, eine historische Größe geworden ist, hat die daraus hervorgegangene

konzeptionelle Vielfalt Facetten entwickelt, die zwar den Kern der Humanistischen Psychologie wahren

– aber in ihrer Unterschiedlichkeit – von esoterischer Färbung bis zur technokratisch vorstrukturierten

Trainingsform – immens sind.

Wenn wir am Department of Psychology der University of the Philippines (Diliman) und in der Werkstatt

für integrative Arbeit (WIA) an der Universität Kassel in den Jahren von 1980 bis 2006 mit einem

GESTALT- Arbeits System experimentieren, dass wir “Entwicklung menschlicher Potentiale” (EMP) oder

in den Philippinen „Human Potential Development“ (HPD) nennen, dann ist dieser Ansatz eine Basis für

Supervision (im europäischen Verständnis – begründet von Dr. Balint im London der 40er Jahre),

Coaching und Organisationsentwicklung (oder Organisation Dynamics, wie es K. Lackner formuliert) –

für den im Rahmen dieses Projektes ein Curriculum zu strukturieren und es als berufsbegleitende

Fortbildung (alternativ zu einem MA Programm) einzurichten.

Die Arbeit von Fritz Perls und die tradierte Form seiner Einzelarbeit (im Auditorium einer Gruppe)

stellten den Ausbildungsrahmen für GESTALT-Trainees der Jahre 1978 bis 85; die Grösse: „Empathie“

in Form von Dick Price`s konzentrierte Zugewandtheit – sowie John Heiders Spührnase für ungenutzte

Potentiale, die brach liegend auf fördernde Impulse warteten und für offene Gestalten, die zu bearbeiten

und schließen er perfektioniert hatte - sind Grundlagen geworden für eine Art der Gestaltarbeit, bei der

zunehmend die gruppendynamische Dimension, die institutionellen und gesellschaftlichen Einflüsse und

letztlich die kulturellen Bedingungen und die globalen Prozesse und Vernetzungen Bedeutung

bekommen haben. Es geht bei dieser Vorstellung des Konzeptes im wesentlichen um zwei Dinge:

1. Die Inszenierungsmodalitäten, mit der wir Supervisions- und Coaching-Prozesse mit Impulsen

versehen, anreichern und mit-steuern – und

2. Die Vorrangigkeit der Selbstregulierungskräfte, das Belassen der Verantwortlichkeit und

Handlungshoheit bei den Prozess-Partnern.

So ist eine erste Folge und Auswirkung der Position 2 die hauptsächliche Offenheit d.h. ausschließliche

Teilstrukturiertheit des Curriculums. Am Beginn seiner Be-Nutzung steht ein Kompetenzdialog, mit dem

die Trainingspartner klären, welche Lernbudgets (quantifizierte Teilnahme Vereinbarungen) für den / die

Studenten oder Profis (professionell bereits erfahrenen Manager und Ausbilder oder Moderatoren) zur

Komplettierung ihrer Berufsqualifizierung gewählt und vereinbart werden. Das ist ein wesentlicher,

initialer Teil eines Ausbildungs- und Arbeitskontraktes, der zur mitverantwortlichen und weitgehend

selbstverantwortlichen Mitarbeit führen soll. – Zu diesem Aspekt der Verantwortlichkeit mehr im zweiten

Teil dieses Aufsatzes.


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Bei der Klärung und Vorbereitung auf eine Rolle als Moderator (das steht in diesem Projekt-

Zusammenhang für Supervisoren, Trainer und Coaches) geht es primär um seine Transformations-

Kompetenz. Gestaltarbeit in diesem Sinn heißt dann: ein Thema oder Problem aufnehmen und zur

weiteren Klärung auf eine Ebene zu transponieren, die neue Umgangsformen, Zugänge und anderes

Handling (als nur Reden) ermöglichen – und damit auch die Zahl der Lösungsalternativen erweitert.

Die „Nach-Außen-Verlagerung“ und räumliche theatralische Inszenierung eines inneren Konfliktes oder

einer Job-Situation sind Gegenstand dieser Prozedur. Details sollen in den Vordergrund treten können,

das Ganze als System oder Gestalt zur Kenntnis gebracht werden … und eben als Theater gespielt,

bzw. als Situation arrangiert und durchlebt werden. Experimentelles und Spielerisches steht dabei

vornan.

Um das am Beispiel zu veranschaulichen:

Eine Frau erzählt von ihrer unangenehmen Bürosituation – bei der sie nur eine „befreundete“ Kollegin innerhalb des

Großraumbüros (das mit 14 Personen geteilt wird) sieht, zu der sie ein vertrauensvolles und lockeres Verhältnis hat; die anderen

mobben sie und gehen rivalisierend mit ihr um. Diese Bürosituation real auf der Workshopbühne (im Kreis der anderen

Lernpartner) unserer gemeinsamen Arbeit einzurichten, ist der erste Schritt im vorstehend beschriebenen Ansatz.

Also beginnt Frau H. die Sitzkissen zu platzieren: sich selbst, dann die positive Bezugsperson (weit entfernt an der

gegenüberliegenden Wand) und dann einige Kissen dazwischen. – Plötzlich stoppt sie. Betrachtet die Inszenierung. Offensichtlich

gefällt ihr diese Deutlichkeit nicht. Sie zögert – und es scheint, als ob sie aufhören will.

Eine Ermunterung des Moderators, das Büro doch mit allen vierzehn Kollegen und Kolleginnen auszustatten, führt zu weiterem

kurzen Überlegen. – Dann wirft sie die weiteren acht noch fehlenden Kollegen/Kissen auf einen Haufen in der Mitte … und sitzt nun

– durch den Berg der Kissen fast ohne Sichtkontakt zu ihrer Freundin davor … schüttelt den Kopf, wird sehr ärgerlich und

beschimpft „diese ganze Scheiße“ hier.

So weit zu einer Anfangsinszenierung. Der Prozess des weiteren Durcharbeitens ist damit heftig emotional von Ärger, Wut,

Ohnmacht und Traurigkeit begleitet und führt im weiteren dazu, dass ihre Überlegungen und Klärungen der verschiedenen Rollen

und Beziehungen die ganze Palette der theatralischen Situation beleuchten – und dieser lebendige Lernprozess letztlich auf der

Ebene strategischer Überlegungen zur Veränderung des Konfliktes abgeschlossen wird.

Aspekte, die hier im Rahmen der Vorstellung von Inszenierungsmodalitäten wichtig werden, sind: Wort-

und geschichtenreiche Problemdarstellungen aus der Distanz der Erzähleben herunter zu holen und in

eine Handlungsebene zu bringen, in der Thema, Problem oder rein Teil dieser Person – oder deren

institutionelle oder materielle Umgebung zu realen Handlungspartnern werden. (Kissen werden zu

Mitarbeitern / Gefühle werden zu Gesprächspartnern / eine Firma bekommt Rollenträger, die in Dialoge

verwickelt werden / eine Prüfungskommission wandelt sich in fantasierte Projektionspartner / unnahbare

Menschen sitzen greifbar und ansprechbar auf dem Simulator, der ein x-beliebiges Arbeitsmittel der

Gestaltarbeit ist.)

- Die Entscheidungen und Wahlen, die den Prozess der klärenden Arbeit bestimmen sind – bei genügend Vertrauen und Zeitbudget – primär eine Angelegenheit des „arbeitenden“ Partners; der Moderator mag dabei sichern, begrenzen, ermuntern, neugierig dabei – und doch wenig richtungsweisend- sein.

- Natürlich regt der Moderator dann und wann an, z.B. eine Szene durch Playback zu intensivieren, durch Überzeichnungen prägnantere Bilder und Aussagen zu schaffen; er bietet auch Bilder an, die in ihm entstehen – oder regt an, das Bild, die Szenen nochmals zu malen. – Und in der Hauptsache nimmt er möglichst viel des Geschehens wahr und bietet seine Rückmeldungen als Steuerimpulse an.


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Da dieses Arbeiten und diese Inszenierungen innerhalb einer Gruppe stattfindet (und unter Einbeziehung der Gruppenmitglieder als Feedback-Geber oder Interaktionspartner) wird der individuelle Klärungsprozess dadurch angereichert; (manchmal lenken die anderen vom aktuellen Fokus ab – dann wieder treffen sie genau den Kern des Problems); dadurch ist der Weg windungsreich, unsystematisch und spannend. Umwege werden erkannt. Sackgassen sind lehrreiche Teilstrecken. Je weniger Wegweiser der Moderator aufstellt, umso mehr lernt etwa eine betriebliche Projektgruppe oder eine Berater-Ausbildungsgruppe eine Autopilot – Funktion zu entwickeln, die als eine diagnostische Aufmerksamkeit verstanden ist – und besonders Signale dysfunktionaler Abläufe registriert.

Als Orientierung ist hierzu von uns eine Orientierungsblume entworfen. Sie hat die Funktion, eine

wandernde Aufmerksamkeit zu erzeugen, mit der Hintergründe „abgetastet“ werden. Es geht um die

Klärung der unterschiedlichsten Einflüsse, die auf ein aktuelles Phänomen wirken. Das wird meist

konflikthaftes Geschehen sein, das die gerade arbeitende Person klären will.

Sinnvoll wird das, wenn in Strategiegesprächen und Konfliktlösungsaktionen antizipierend - oder in der

Retrospektive- alternative Handlungsmöglichkeiten gefunden werden sollen, die i.S. der Verwirklichung

von Interessen und Befriedigung von Bedürfnissen hilfreich und brauchbar sein können.

Dieses Orientierungsschema – formal an eine Blüte angelehnt – ist ein Reminder des Moderators, der

hilft, systematisch die Einflüsse und Hintergrundebenen „zu sehen“. (Abb 5)

Und es soll zu einer Art innerer Kamera werden (für angehende Moderatoren), die mit dem Wechsel

unterschiedlicher Optik und Perspektiven die Ebenen einer erweiterten Wahrnehmungsbewusstheit

abklappert – und dabei die Mehrdimensionalität von Situationen erfasst.


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Ein Orientierungssystem zur sozialen Diagnose (Abb.5)

INDIVIDUAL ASPECT AND BACKGROUND

OF A PERSON`S BEHAVIOR

SMALL-GROUP ASPECT THE BASIC „FIELD“

ASPECTOF A PERSON`S BEHAVIOR

INSITUTIONAL ASPECT

AND BACKGROUND AS A FACTOR OF INFLUENCE

CULTURAL ASPECT

INFLUENCE AND BACKGROUND OF A SITUATION

SOCIAL ASPECT SOCIETY AS BACKGROUND OF A PERSON`S

GLOBALAL ASPECT

INFLUENCE AND BACKGROUND FOR INTERACTION


44

Der zweite hier zur Diskussion ausgewählte Kompetenzbereich ist die Rolle der Selbstregulierungskräfte

und die respektvolle Beziehung eines Moderators zu seine/r Partner/in während einer Arbeitssequenz.

Dabei ist die Bedeutung der Selbstheilungstendenz und –kraft ein auf der physiologischen Ebene

vordergründig erfahrbarer Prozess; über weite Phasen unseres Lebens ist der Körper damit

ausgestattet. Bei kleinen Wunden vollzieht sich eine atemberaubende Restrukturierung eines

beschädigten Körperteils, bis die „alte“ Gestalt in neuer Materie wieder erstellt ist. - Und diese Kraft findet

sich in vielen ökologischen und auch sozialen Systemen wieder.

Moderatoren benötigen dieses Vertrauen in die Kraft zur Gesundung ihrer Partner – besonders, wenn

bei Probierhandlungen im Lern-Raum noch nicht die „letztlich angemessene“ Form getroffen ist. Und für

Moderatoren ist die Begleitung im „Hier und Jetzt“ (im Gegensatz zum räsonierenden Gegensatz des

irgendwann und irgendwo oder auch im Gegensatz zum Blick auf das Ziel) eine Haltung, die nur gelingt,

wenn die Zweifel an Können, Kraft und Kompetenz des Partners grundlegend besteht. Dabei ist die

permanente Verführung (die von manchen Partnern versucht wird), doch dem Moderator die

Wegweisung zu überantworten, eine Dauerfalle. – Je mehr Rationalisierungen „es angesagt sein lassen“

dass letztlich die Prozesssteuerung durch den Experten erfolgen soll, je klarer entfernt sich dieser

Moderator von seiner „besten“ Rolle: als Experte für die Vielfalt von Andersartigkeiten und Differenzen –

und Unwissender im Hinblick auf die Vielfalt der persönlichen Potentiale des Partners – Begleiter zu

sein.

Dabei bleibt die Wegbestimmung weitgehend bei dem- oder derjenigen, der oder die das Stück Lebensweg, ein Quantum professionellen Knowhows gewinnen will – und dazu Ichstärke und Lebenskompetenz. – Und das ist bei weitem keine Abstinenzegel, sondern der Hinweis auf den dauernden Eiertanz, der beginnt, wenn man ein fördernder Begleiter sein will.

2.5 eLearning in der deutschen Berufsbildung

Kurzfassung / Forschungswerkstatt 3 angefertigt im Rahmen des DAAD Entwicklungsprojektes: Entwicklung und Produktion von Modulen zum Training gestalt-beraterischer Kompetenz

Christoph Lau

Einleitung

Seit Beginn der 90er-Jahre haben sich die technologischen Möglichkeiten der Wissensvermittlung in geradezu atemberaubender Weise verändert. Mit dem zunehmenden Einsatz von PC und Internet können Informationen und Wissen immer schneller vermittelt und von (fast) überall auf der Welt abgerufen werden. Damit bekommen auch konventionelle Methoden des Wissenstransfers eine neue, elektronische Dimension.

In Folge dessen erfreut sich eLearning als relativ junge Lern- und Lehrform seit einiger Zeit zunehmender Popularität.

„Jeder, der heute für die Vermittlung von Wissen verantwortlich ist, kommt .. früher oder später mit dem Thema eLearning in Berührung. Der Druck auf die öffentlichen und privaten Bildungsanbieter


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sowie die berufliche Aus- und Weiterbildung mit der rasanten [technologischen] Entwicklung Schritt zu halten steigt. Fragen nach dem richtigen Konzept, der technologischen Infrastruktur, dem geeigneten Content [= Inhalt], der besten Methode, dem Aufwand, den Kosten und dem besten Anbieter werden laut.“ (Neubauer, S. 4.)

Einigen der Fragen, die Jörg Neubauer in diesem Zitat aufwirft, werde ich mich in dieser Arbeit nähern und einen (vorläufigen) Standort für das Thema eLearning und den eLearning-Markt in Deutschland bestimmen.

So steht zu Beginn dieser Arbeit der Versuch, den Begriff eLearning zu definieren oder zumindest etwas einzugrenzen. Anschließend widme ich mich im nächsten Kapitel verschiedenen Studien, die den eLearning-Markt in Deutschland untersucht haben. Weiterhin stelle ich mich der Frage, welche Chancen der Einsatz von eLearning-Programmen für das Studium und professionelle Training bieten kann, wo aber auch Grenzen dieser Methode liegen.

Der eLearning-Markt

Studie der unicmind.com AG

Im Jahr 2000 hat die Private Fachhochschule Göttingen unter der wissenschaftlichen Leitung von Prof. Dr. Hubert Schüle im Auftrag der Firma unicmind.com AG in einer Studie 350 Unternehmen der deutschen Wirtschaft nach ihren Zielsetzungen, nach den Aktivitäten und Erfahrungen mit eLearning und Online-Wissensmanagement befragt.

Das zentrale Anliegen dieser Studie war es,

„... Aufschlüsse darüber zu liefern, welchen Stellenwert elearning und Wissensmanagement für Unternehmen haben bzw. zukünftig einnehmen werde.“ (unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 9.)

Die Unternehmen wurden anhand des „Top 500-Ranking deutscher Unternehmen von 1999“ der Tageszeitung „Die Welt“ (http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/ranglisten/500_1999.htx) ausgewählt.

Von den 350 ausgewählten Unternehmen beteiligten sich immerhin 102 an der schriftlichen Befragung. Das entspricht einer Rücklaufquote von 29%.

Ein Ergebnis der Studie war, dass eLearning mit fast 90% einen sehr hohen Verbreitungsgrad bei den befragten Unternehmen erreicht hat (vgl. unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 5). Allerdings setzen dabei nur etwa 25% der Unternehmen WBTs (Web Based Trainings) ein. Die meisten arbeiten immer noch mit Schulungsvideos (67%) oder Computer Based Trainings (CBT, 93%).

Inhaltlich beschäftigen sich die Trainings vorrangig mit klassischen Themen aus dem Bereich der Datenverarbeitung: Software-Schulungen (Office Software (66%), andere Anwendungs-Software (44%)) und Schulungen für die Bedienung von Betriebssystemen (38%). Erst an vierter Stelle folgen Produktschulungen (31%). eLearning-Angebote aus den Bereichen Softskills (24%) und Kundenzufriedenheit (6%) stehen ziemlich an letzter Stelle der genannten Themen (vgl. unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 18).

In der Studie zeigt sich allerdings auch, dass eLearning-Angebote in Zukunft an Bedeutung gewinnen werden. Durchweg wollen die befragten Unternehmen mehr Themen als bisher mit eLearning vermitteln. Zum Teil sind bei einzelnen Themen Zuwachsraten um bis zu 22% geplant. Insbesondere betriebswirtschaftliche Themen sowie Produktschulungen sollen zukünftig verstärkt mit eLearning trainiert werden.

„Aber auch Lerninhalte wie Softskills, Qualitätsmanagement sowie Kundenzufriedenheit werden zukünftig deutlich stärker angeboten werden. Die Antworten der Unternehmen z.B. zu den beiden letztgenannten Themen liegen um das bis zu Dreifache höher im Vergleich zur heutigen Nutzung. Dies ist ein deutliches Signal an die Anbieter entsprechender Lösungen.“ (unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S.17.) Allerdings: „Die unternehmensspezifischen Themen .. werden in ihrer Verbreitung der Studie zufolge nur leicht zunehmen (von 18% auf 26% der Unternehmen). Dies ist insofern sehr bemerkenswert, als nur das unternehmensspezifische Know-how den eigentlichen Wettbewerbsvorteil ausmachen


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kann. Letztlich lässt sich ein Know-how-Vorsprung nicht von der Stange kaufen.“ (unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 7.)

Die meisten Unternehmen nennen als Grund für den Einsatz von eLearning die Kostenersparnis (70% der Unternehmen) und die Aktualität. Argumente wie höhere Qualität (7%), höhere Motivation (9%) oder besserer Lernerfolg (18%) spielen hingegen kaum eine Rolle (vgl. unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 20).

„Die Chancen des eLearning, individualisierte Programme zu schaffen, die mit hoher Interaktivität und perfekter persönlicher Lernerfolgskontrolle gute Lernfortschritte ermöglichen, werden von den Unternehmen in der Praxis offensichtlich (noch) nicht gesehen.“ (unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 8.)

Als größtes Hemmnis für den Einsatz von eLearning werden von den meisten Unternehmen der Wegfall der „Social Effects“ (53%), der Aufwand der Lernsysteme (46%) und die fehlende Akzeptanz bei den NutzerInnen (41%) genannt, während Schwierigkeiten bei der Einbindung in den Arbeitsablauf (13%) eher selten erwähnt werden (vgl. unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 20).

Der letzte Punkt ist insofern überraschend, „... da in theoretischen Abhandlungen zum Thema eLearning das Nebeneinander von Lernen und Arbeiten am Arbeitsplatz häufig als kritisch betrachtet wird.“ (unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement, S. 21.)

Etliche (hauptsächlich größere) Unternehmen sind inzwischen aber auch dazu übergegangen, sogenannte „Selbstlernzentren“ einzurichten. Hier können die MitarbeiterInnen ungestört lernen und werden bei Bedarf von einem Tutor unterstützt.

Studie von KPMG Consulting

Eine Studie im Auftrag von KPMG Consulting aus dem November 2001 kommt zum Teil zu gänzlich anderen Ergebnissen. In dieser Studie wurden insgesamt 604 Personalverantwortliche aus Unternehmen mit mehr als 1.000 Beschäftigten zunächst telefonisch interviewt, bevor mit 102 von ihnen eine längere Online-Befragung durchgeführt wurde.

Nach dieser Studie setzten nur 46% der befragten Unternehmen im Jahr 2001 eLearning-Produkte ein, wobei CBT-Anwendungen (82%) wesentlich häufiger genutzt wurden als WBTs (34%) und selbst diese Angebote wurden nur von weniger als 10% der MitarbeiterInnen genutzt.

Wichtig ist hierbei zu wissen, dass in dieser Studie nur WBTs und CBTs als eLearning-Produkte bezeichnet werden und z.B. Schulungsvideos oder Business-TV keine Berücksichtigung finden (im Gegensatz zu der Studie der unicmind.com AG).

Von der Planung bis zur breiten Anwendung einer eLearning-Anwendung vergehen nach dieser Studie durchschnittlich 15-18 Monate, so dass auch das Argument der Aktualität nur bedingt überzeugen kann.

Folgerungen

Aus diesen und anderen Studien (z.B. Köllinger, Philipp: ELearning. Marktanalyse für Deutschland. Symposion Publishing Verlag, Düsseldorf 2001.) lässt sich zusammenfassend schließen, dass sich der noch junge eLearning Markt in Deutschland sehr unübersichtlich und zerfasert darstellt und zahlreichen Einflussfaktoren, einem hohen Innovationstempo und stetigem Wandel unterliegt. Hinzu kommt, dass internationale oder zumindest bundesweite Standards und Vergleiche von eLearning-Programmen nach wie vor fehlen. Etwas Orientierungshilfe geben lediglich einige Wettbewerbe und Awards (eine Übersicht über Wettbewerbe und Awards im Bereich Multimedia findet sich in der Rubrik Branche auf www.i-business.de).

„Eine Vielzahl von Anbietern mit unterschiedlichen Geschäftsmodellen und Angeboten partizipieren an dem kleinen, jedoch rasant wachsenden Markt. Neue Anbieter kommen fast wöchentlich dazu, andere fusionieren oder müssen Konkurs anmelden. ... Viele der Anbieter kennen ihre direkten Konkurrenten nicht, und potentielle Kunden sind nicht über das gesamte Angebotsspektrum auf dem Markt informiert.“ (Vgl. Köllinger.)


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Chancen des eLearning

Unabhängig von der derzeitigen Marktsituation sprechen viele Argumente für den Einsatz von eLearning im Bereich der betrieblichen (und außerbetrieblichen) Weiterbildung. Der ausschlaggebende Grund für die meisten Unternehmen ist jedoch die erwartete Kostenersparnis.

Der Wegfall der Reise- und Tagungszeit hat darüber hinaus den Vorteil, dass Weiterbildungen auch für Personengruppen attraktiv werden könnten, die in der Regel an ihrem Arbeitsplatz unabkömmlich zu sein scheinen (z.B. Führungskräfte, Politiker, Manager, Mediziner oder Juristen) (vgl. Initiative D21: Presseinformation.)

Den Einsparungen gegenüber entstehen allerdings höhere Kosten für Lizenzgebühren, Entwicklungs-aufwendungen und ggf. Anschaffungen von Soft- und Hardware.

Trotzdem

„[berichten] viele Großunternehmen, wie die Deutsche Post AG .. über Einsparungen von mehr als 150 Millionen Mark. An über 2.000 Lernstationen haben sich Zusteller und Schalterbeamte in den letzten 6 Jahren mit der CBT-Serie CLIP (Computergestütztes Lernen im Postdienst) weitergebildet.“ (Gieringer, S. 15.)

Es gibt sogar Studien, die davon ausgehen, dass mit Hilfe von eLearning etwa 30 Prozent der Weiterbildungskosten eingespart werden können.

„Bei geschätzten Ausgaben der Unternehmen von 60 Mrd. Mark im Jahr summiert sich das Einsparpotential auf rund 20 Mrd. Mark. Übertragen auf den Bereich der öffentlichen Ausgaben für Weiterbildung ergäbe sich so ein Einsparpotential von 5 Mrd. Mark, bei derzeitigen Ausgaben von 17 Mrd. Mark.“ (Initiative D21: Presseinformation.)

Dabei sind die Einsparungen um so höher, je mehr MitarbeiterInnen sich mit ein- und demselben Lernprogramm weiterbilden. Neben dem reinen Kostenargument spricht für den Einsatz von eLearning aber auch die hohe Aktualität und der bedarfsgerechte Zuschnitt der vermittelten Lerninhalte.

So lässt sich mit den neuen Medien über das ganze Berufsleben hinweg eine

„... aktuelle, bedarfsgerechte, eigenverantwortliche und praxisnahe Qualifizierung ...“ (Initiative D21: Presseinformation.)

aller MitarbeiterInnen erreichen. Die MitarbeiterInnen haben die Möglichkeit, genau das Wissen zu erwerben, das sie brauchen, genau dann, wenn sie es brauchen.

„So sind Lernprogramme zielgenaues, intensives, interaktives Training, eingebettet in den normalen Arbeitsalltag, modular und praxisnäher als die Standartausbildung im Gießkannenprinzip.“ (Initiative D21: Hintergrundinformation.)

Weiterhin stehen die Trainingsinhalte den TeilnehmerInnen jederzeit zur Verfügung, so dass das gelernte Wissen zu allen Zeiten wieder aufgefrischt oder vertieft werden kann.

Für die AutorInnen der Studie der unicmind.com AG sind maßgeschneiderte Trainingsinhalte letztendlich der Schlüssel für den Erfolg eines eLearning-Programms, denn

„... je besser die Inhalte des Trainings auf das jeweilige Unternehmen [und die jeweiligen TeilnehmerInnen, d. Autor] zugeschnitten sind, desto stärker und desto schneller lassen sich die Lernenden auf den Lernprozess ein, da der Bezug zu seiner Tätigkeit, seiner Firma und seiner Branche deutlich zu erkennen ist.“ (unicmind.com AG: Hintergrundgespräch.)

Allerdings ist gerade im Bereich der Verhaltenstrainings und dem Training von Softskills kein vollständiger Ersatz der Präsenzseminare zu erwarten, da Verhaltenstrainings immer auch der persönlichen Auseinandersetzung bedürfen, die Computer nicht leisten können. Mit Hilfe von eLearning-Einheiten können die TeilnehmerInnen von Präsenzseminaren aber bereits vor dem eigentlichen Training auf den gleichen Kenntnisstand gebracht werden – und das Gelernte kann anschließend weiter vertieft werden.

Zieldienlich ist es außerdem, wenn die vermittelten Informationen mit persönlichen Erfahrungen verknüpft werden können, so dass sie anschließend in eigenständiges, verantwortliches Handeln


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umgesetzt werden können (Prinzip der geschlossenen Lernschleifen). Aber natürlich haben eLearning-Angebote gegenüber konventionellen Trainingsmaßnahmen nicht nur Vorteile. Vielmehr hat das elektronische Lernen auch Schwachstellen, die bei der Planung von Weiterbildungsangeboten genau bedacht werden müssen, um den Einsatz von eLearning-Angeboten richtig planen zu können:

Verhältnis von Technologie und Didaktik:

Die Zahl der vorzeitigen Abbrecher liegt bei eLearning-Programmen bei etwa 80% (vgl. Schaller: Ganz stark oder ganz schwach?). Dies liegt häufig an der mangelhaften Qualität vieler eLearning-Angebote, die sehr technisch aber wenig didaktisch durchdacht programmiert worden sind und nur wenig oder gar keine Interaktionen zulassen (obwohl das Medium Internet mit Chat-, Forum- und Emailfunktionen sich hierfür eigentlich anbietet).

Sozialer Kontakt:

Da der Informationsaustausch mit den TrainerInnen, TutorInnen oder anderen TeilnehmerInnen – wenn überhaupt – nur virtuell erfolgt, entfallen viele (informelle) Kontakte (z.B. beim Essen), die einen nicht unerheblichen Erfolg von Präsenzveranstaltungen ausmachen.

Bewertung und Datenschutz:

Die Bewertung der Lernerfolge und Ansammlung individueller Daten kann die Angst vor den „gläsernen MitarbeiterInnen“ verstärken. (Vgl. Schaller: Ganz stark oder ganz schwach?)

Selbstlernen:

Die TeilnehmerInnen von eLearning-Programmen benötigen ein hohes Maß an Eigenmotivation und Selbstlernkompetenz, um Lerninhalte auszuwählen, zu bewerten und sich selbst zu organisieren. Diese Fähigkeiten können nicht bei allen TeilnehmerInnen vorausgesetzt werden.

Auch die Interessengemeinschaft Mittelstand (http://www.mittelstandsportal.de) hält eLearning für eine sinnvolle Ergänzung oder sogar Alternative zu herkömmlichen Trainingsformen – gerade auch für kleine und mittelständische Betriebe. Auf ihrer Website hat die Interessengemeinschaft zusammengestellt, worauf man ihrer Meinung nach bei dem Einsatz von eLearning besonders achten muss (http://www.mittelstandsportal.de/trends/eLearning2.html).

Demnach ist bei dem Angebot einer eLearning-Anwendung von entscheidender Bedeutung, dass der Content (Inhalt) immer aktuell ist. Dazu muss er sich unkompliziert pflegen lassen, so dass die AutorInnen, TrainerInnen oder DozentInnen die Änderungen möglichst ohne Programmierkenntnisse selbst durchführen können. Hilfreich kann es dabei sein, den Content von der Navigation und dem Layout zu trennen. So lassen sich die anfallenden Arbeiten auf verschiedene Personen verteilen und es kann schnell auf Veränderungen und Neuerungen reagiert werden. Genauso wichtig wie die Erstellung der passenden eLearning-Anwendung ist deren strategische Implementierung in dem Unternehmen. In jedem Fall ist eine lernfreundliche Kultur in dem Unternehmen unabdingbare Voraussetzung für den erfolgreichen Einsatz von eLearning-Anwendungen (vgl. Mittelstandportal).

Die häufigsten Fehler bei der Implementierung von eLearning-Programmen sind deren zu technische Ausrichtung und unrealistische Zielsetzungen. Außerdem scheint ein breiter Lernerfolg bei einer größeren Lernzielgruppe ohne ergänzende Präsenzveranstaltung und personengebundene Betreuung kaum möglich zu sein (vgl. Neubauer, S. 23). Ebenso wichtig bei der Einführung von neuen eLearning-Programmen ist allerdings auch eine realistische Zeitschiene. In der Studie von KPMG Consulting wird davon gesprochen, dass von der Planung bis zur breiten Anwendung einer eLearning-Anwendung durchschnittlich 15-18 Monate vergehen. Bei dem gesamten Zeitplan sind die einzelnen Phasen jedoch nicht statisch, sondern fließend ineinander übergehend zu verstehen.

Um InteressentInnen an eLearning-Programmen bei der Auswahl und Implementierung geeigneter Anwendungen zu unterstützen, hat Jörg Neubauer aus langjähriger Praxiserfahrung umfangreiche Checklisten entwickelt, mit denen sich der gesamte Prozess von der Projektentwicklung bis zur Umsetzung gut begleiten lässt. Diese Checklisten können unter www.managerseminare.de/knowhow als kostenlose PDF-Dokumente abgerufen werden. Zusätzlich bietet er ein entsprechendes Training zur


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Vermittlung von Basiskompetenzen an (www.treasureX.de). Neben dem Kauf von eLearning-Anwendungen gibt es auch die Möglichkeit, Lernplattformen oder WBTs für begrenzte Zeit zu mieten. Anbieter sind sogenannte Application Service Provider (ASP), die in seltenen Fällen auch die Hardware für die Nutzung ihrer Softwarelösungen bereitstellen.

Fazit

E-learning bietet für Weiterbildungsmaßnahmen und Aufbaustudiengänge viele neue Chancen, die andere Lernmethoden nicht haben. So können Bildungsangebote auch von Personengruppen wahrgenommen werden, die bisher dafür kaum Zeit fanden. Außerdem ist es möglich, Wissen schneller, direkter und bedarfsgerechter zu vermitteln.

Nach wie vor führen fehlende Produktstandards und ein sehr unübersichtlicher Markt jedoch dazu, dass das Wachstum im eLearning-Bereich nicht so hoch ist, wie dies noch vor einigen Jahren prognostiziert wurde.

Auf Seite der möglichen Kunden fehlt es häufig an der nötigen Basiskompetenz, um eLearning-Programme angemessen beurteilen zu können. Hier bieten kostenlose Newsletter und Websites (z.B. von www.ibusiness.de (Rubrik interaktives Lernen), www.eBusiness.de (Rubrik eLearning) oder www.global-learning.de) die Chance, sich zunächst einmal kostenlos über das Thema eLearning zu informieren.

Darüber hinaus sollte in der Zukunft – auch mit Hilfe staatlicher Fördergelder – ein besonderes Augenmerk darauf gelegt werden, die fehlenden Kompetenzen in diesem Bereich zu beseitigen, um auf diese Weise dem eLearning-Markt neuen Schwung zu verleihen. Das betrifft insbesondere den Umgang mit neuen Medien, die Methodik und Didaktik interaktiver Lernprozesse und Basiskenntnisse in der Computernutzung (vgl. Neubauer, S. 14f).

Insgesamt heißt es, sich auch beim eLearning wieder etwas von technischen Aspekten zu lösen und die Didaktik erneut in den Vordergrund zu stellen. Letztendlich gilt es die Technik als Werkzeug zu begreifen, das bei der Erreichung eines Lernziels unterstützend und hilfreich wirken kann.

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Czichos, Reiner: Entertainment für Knowbodies. Ernst Reinhardt Verlag. München 1999.

Gieringer, Hans (Hrsg.): CBT in der Führungskräfte-Weiterbildung. Tips und Hinweise von Praktikern für Praktiker. Bonn, 2. erweiterte und vollkommen überarbeitete Auflage 1999.

Hartmann, Frank: Vom eLearning zum eBusiness der Personalentwicklung. In: Graf, Jürgen (Hrsg.): Seminare 2002. Das Jahrbuch der Management-Weiterbildung. 13. Auflage, Bonn 2001.

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Initiative D21: Effizienzrevolution in der Bildung durch computergestütztes Lernen. Hintergrundinformation zur Presseinformation zum Jahreskongress 2001 der Initiative D21 am 8.10.2001.

Jumpertz, Sylvia: “IT for me.” In: managerSeminare (Hrsg.): e-Le@rning. Lernen mit neuen Medien. Ausgabe 02/2002, Mai 2002. Bonn 2002.

Köllinger, Philipp: ELearning. Marktanalyse für Deutschland. Symposion Publishing Verlag, Düsseldorf 2001.

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Mittelstandportal: Lebenslanges Lernen. eLearning als Säule eines modernen Unternehmens. eMail-Newsletter „Mittelstandsportal“ der Interessengemeinschaft Mittelstand e.V. Berlin. http://www.mittelstandsportal.de/trends/eLearning.html


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Mündemann, Friedhelm: Der Trainer als Lernermöglicher. In: managerSeminare (Hrsg.): e-Le@rning. Lernen mit neuen Medien. Heft 02, November 2001. Bonn 2001.

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Schaller, Katrin: eLearning – Was ist das eigentlich? http://www.eBusiness.de/texte/5263.asp

Schaller, Katrin: Ganz stark oder ganz schwach? http://www.eBusiness.de/texte/5262.asp#

unicmind.com AG: eLearning und Wissensmanagement in deutschen Großunternehmen. Ergebnisse einer Befragung der Top-350 Unternehmen der deutschen Wirtschaft. Göttingen 2001.

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unicmind.com AG: I T-Prdukte schneller verstehen heißt: IT-Produkte schneller verkaufen. Pressemitteilung, Göttingen, 03.01.2002.

unicmind.com AG: Lernen ohne Reisekosten – Seminare bekommen Konkurrenz aus dem Web. Pressemitteilung, Göttingen, 03.04.2001.

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Christoph Lau


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Part III Attachments and final statement

Ma. Cecilia Conaco and Hans Lenhard

3.2 Process-documentation and didactic papers

Charts table 1: overview and flow chart of the 5-year process and activities; - The project history – documenting all steps and activities table 2: the continuing education / post graduate module system, an overview; - Detailed overview of the full hpd* conceptual training system table 3: structural chart of the e-learning module:“communication competence”; - basic programming function scheme table 4: one semester overview of all the steps of part I of the e-learning program; - organizational chart for the test run of module I

3.3 Curricular manual for practical trainings and studies to gain competencies in “supervision*, coaching and organizational dynamics”.

- General module descriptions - Central Curriculum Impulses / Didactic Information of Selected Modules - Regulations for the Conduct of Study and Examination for the Further Education Program

3.4 Final statement: Outlook - or: What was, what is – and what will become important? Ma.Cecilia Conaco / Hans Lenhard

______________________________

* hpd = human potential development


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General module descriptions The modules have the function to structure the learning material and to support you complete successfully clear learning units in order to gather credits for your performance account; by that it is possible to control its own standard and to shape the learning process in order to provide easier a successfull certificate examination. MODULE 1 For proof and promotion of successful learning and working five learning units Study Competence are intended:

The permission assessment (LE 1) defines initial basis and commitment; study and examination papers (LE 2 + 4) show the competence for dealing with themes of practice and theory; the half-time-feedback shows the interactional ranking within the group; the final special conversation (discussion) shall demonstrate the capability for integration of theoretical aspects and pracitical relevant strategies of acting (LE 5).

MODULE 2 The learning unit gestalt workshop (LE 2.1) focusses on personal and Personal Competence individual aspects of teamwork and the handling with partners in job and life;

communicative, interactional competence as well as solution of conflicts, cooperation or even decision finding are possible themes of the analysis; the learning unit: integrative workshop (LE 2.2) puts critical situation of practise into the foreground in order to show within a frame of problem solution the competence of integration of individual and professional acting alternatives.

MODULE 3 The module: communicative basis competence (LE 3.1) has to be fulfilled by Communicative e-learning material partly individual and online at home, partly by direct Basis Competence learning in a plenary meeting and/or in learning teams and partly by internet chats and

panel discussions. These are exercises in which key situation of professional learning education and professional staff development shall be managed and literature as gestalt guidance shall be prepared for a data bank.

MODULE 4 Module 4 has two learning units of which the professional adult education Professional is the superior theme. An introduction into theory and methods of educational Competence I work (LER 4.1) produces a basis for planning, organization and curricular structuring of

operational personal development. Technique and practise of the pedagogic training reality (LE 4.2) from a second examination field in which the learned educational concepts can be proved in concrete situations and thus new professional samples can be integrated into the personal competence of action.

MODULE 5 The three learning units of this module first shall study constructively internal Professional requirements and working profiles (LE 5.1); then work-specific professional Competence II issues will be evaluated and shaped into profiles of acting competence (LE 5.2); in order

to prepare a personal career profile for the students being involved in that further education (LE 5.3) the actual standards and perspectives will be defined by a debit/actual analysis.

MODULE 6 A fundamental learning area of the elements of module 6 is to reach Reflection and competence for reflective acting and evaluated analysis of going on Supervision educational and further education processes, as well as for viewing one’s own Competence bewilderment in the field of this further education program, with a view to the educational

partner, groups, internal structures and to the own personal and case management and enacting of critical professional situations (LE 6.1) and supervision in small groups (LE 6.2/6.3) in order to reach these goals.

MODULE 7 Social-oriented educational work, personal and educational development Professional which are part of the activity profiles of coaching and training managers need Competence III a high level of knowledge and the capability to shape existing changes in this system (LE

7.1); besides increasing demands show up from an enlarged international cooperation and multi-cultural working groups – within professional and also even more than only professional business and joined ventures; here the intercultural competence (LE 7.2) is the key for economic success.


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Learning Unit 1.2: Written paper Contents: One issue of the paper is a field analysis or a theoretical presentation. Important steps: development and realization of a definite project, documentation of the realization of an educational meeting and its evaluation. Rating of the study project Formulation of consequences, revision of the concept data Organization At the beginning of the second semester themes will be handed out; then there will be a period of three months in order to deal with them. The paper shall include an actual problem deriving of the student’s field of work- or it is based on a theoretical-conceptional idea, which will be elaborated for a practical solution. Development of concept and experimental transformation work are the two parts of the written paper. Coaches for the written paper : Prof. Dr. Buchinger / Prof. Lenhard Learning goal information The independently done written paper shall prove evidence of indepentend planning, organization and carrying out of a project of prossional training or further education. The integration of gained knowledge in theory and concept with the real interests and needs of enterprises/institutions and participants of a projected education seminar shall be accomplished. Learning questions are besides others: What is the situation of outcome and order which the trainer/training manager is confronted with? Which needs and interests mark the potential group of participants? How are learning goals defined and didacticly prepared? Methodical organization The methodical procedure is oriented on done steps in practise of a professional education arrangement. Clearifying of the task Analysis of requirement and of target group Curriculum planning Organization of a learning unit Documentation of project realization Evaluation

Didactic Informations Module 1 Further Education Course: Training Management Learning Unit 1.3 Halftime-feedback Contents: Within the mutual work during the first half of the further education course students and professors have spent some time with analysis and cooperation. The halftime-feedback provides the possibility to talk about the experienced character and way of acting. Therefore items of the given or received feedbacks are moments of working and living area felt as disturbing or encouraging moments: “study group” Organization: The halftime-feedback is a fullday exercise which is devided into four group meetings. The participation in this procedure is obligatory. The given time budget regulates the intensity and duration of the particular feedback rounds. The moderators are available for individual advice; they are also participants of the feedback rounds. Peer group + moderators: Prof. Lenhard / Prof.Conaco / Prof. Rosel / Prof. Mendoza / Prof. Sycip; Learning goal-informations Learning goals of this unit are to give and receive effective and suitable feedback for all; to deal with the feedbacks of the peers and moderators of the further education group here and now is a rather personal target field. Leading questions are besides others:

- Which kind of disturbing resp. encouraging actions of my colleagues did I recognize in the group? - How do I formulate my impressions about my cooperation partners – if possible descriptive – and how do I avoid

statements which do not lead to a constructive processing at the feedback receiver? - Which consequences are endowed with the exchange of feedbacks? - How can a feedback dialogue be organized?

Methodical organization For the further education course the structure of the group meetings for working with feedbacks will be established at halftime. It is made possible for all participants to request feedbacks as feedback recipient (an opportunity and liability in the sense of acquisition of results) and aspects of the further eudcation group to give feedbacks to all others. The feedback procedure is structured by rules for effective feedback which are introduced in module 3. A general evaluation concludes this exercise.

The Central Curriculum Impulses

Didactic Information Module 1 Further Education Course: Training Management


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Didactic Informations Module 1 Further Education Course: Training Management Learning Unit 1.4 Final paper Contents: A concrete or visionary project of personal development; development of structures for a corresponding project management; concept and realization of an educational arrangement within the project work and evaluation. The assessment of the results of realization Formulation of consequences in order to revise the concept; coaches: Prof. Lenhard / Prof. Conaco / Prof. Rosel / Prof. Mendoza / Prof. Sycip; Organization: At the beginning of the third semester themes are handed out; then there are three months time for dealing with them. The paper shall deal with a future and visionary theme of the professional field: personal development and shall also show a practical solution. Essential parts of the final paper are conception and creative experimental transformation. Coaches: 2 professors at your choice Learning goal information The independent done final paper shall prove autonomous planning, organization and working through of a future oriented project of professional education as well as further education. The integration of acquainted knowledge in theory and practise to real interests and needs of enterprises/institutions and participants shall be achieved by a creative projected educational performance. Leading questions besides others: Which future oriented situations of result and order set by the training manager does mean a visionary step? Which needs and interests are remarkable for professional and target group situations? Which project targets are defined and how are they defined didacticly? Methodical organization

1. part: Discussion and devision for a suitable project 2. part: Investigation and/or inquiry of practise 3. part: Development of a concept for a model of action 4. part: Planning, organization and execution 5. part: Documentation

part: Evaluation Further Education Course: Learning Unit 1.5: Final Examination Contents: Presentation of a working project of the cancidate The idea of the project shall show as well the aspect of a visionary kind of personal developmental work and of an experimental training management as also present realistic stimulating transformations. Didactic aspects of the project and the actual presentation Final feedback to the candidates Organization The final discussion takes place at the end of the four semester further education course; admission to it is given after both written papers are successfully done and at least 80% of the credits have been reached as performance record. Coaching: By two professors Learning goal information

- record of the acquired competences regarding integration of working and living procedures; - - the students shall be able to present their project idea in a critical discussion and by that to work up constructively the

feedbacks. Leading questions are besides others:

- Which theoretical concepts have to be considerd basicly by the creation of the presentational idea? - To which extend is the didactic knowhow of the student satisfied applied as a concept of procedure? - How are connected practise reality and vision?

Methodical Organization The final discussion begins with presentation of about 10 minutes. Comments and confrontation of the examiners shall be incorporated and converted by the graduates within a process of learning analysis. Reality and vision form one aspect of discussion which settles possibilites and problems of innovative personal development and training management.


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Didactic Information Module 2 Further Education Course: Training Management Learning Unit 2.1 Gestalt workshop Contents Are themes, questions and problems brought along by the members of the study group. Rituals and techniques of gestalt work are used here as tool and form a further item. Much deals with “consciousness” as a central idea of gestalt work; by these means obviousness and daily routines – as well as the accompanying values – play an important role. Samples and ways of behaving in cooperation with and/or overcoming of conflicts are further items of discussion. Furthermore the handling of own needs within the group or in the professional and personal everyday life. Organization This exercise defines the beginning of the further education. The workshop lasting five days shall focus the role of intercultural connections within the group and the meaning of individual modes of behaving and sociability and by that is identified as crucial point of studies. Moderator: Hans Lenhard Learning goals information: The own consciousness treating the kind of how to handle oneself and others shall be increased. Functions of process and structure concerning gestalt work shall become acquainted with. Direct communication can be trained and improved. Own potentials and debilities in dealing with others shall be experienced and questions and themes of the own to be-so shall be settled. The role of empathy vs. recognition can be worked on. Leading questions are f.i.: How do I see myself and others? How do I deal with my emotions and which are my central questions in life? Which role do I take possession of here and at other positions of my life? How do I experience the process of being together in the group and the discussions? How do I realize the polarization of devoted attendance and stimulating confrontation in contact with my partners? How do I use the taught techniques and instruments in real on the job situation? Methodical organization: To work oriented on a process of the group means that only little of structure is given by the moderator; basicly there will be the “here and now principle”. One point of view will be to experience personal themes in an accepted climate. Here gestalt tools (f.i. the “open chair”, the “gestalt dialogue”, trained fantasies and many others) are proved in order to make it possible for the participants with their own skills to deal with “open gestalt” on the one hand and at the same time to get acquainted with aspects of gestalt work for the own practise in educational work. Rituals, directed fantasies, drawings, gestalt dialogue are introduced and mediated by the moderator – according to the processes of the individuals and/or the group.

Didactic Information Module 2 Further Education: Training Management Learning Unit 2.2 Workshop for Integration Contents: Audio and video documentation of practical cases and situations in work which derive from the professional and practical fields are basis of microanalysis in group settings. Actual situations of moderation in the here and now of the group are further training alternatives. Feedback and feedback dialogues focussing further awareness and the target of integration of direct confrontation techniques continuously shape the basis of the workshop. Organization The workshop of integration is the last learning unit of the further education course. The students themselves prepare the contents, i.e. the documentations for microanalysis, and the group works with feedback techniques in order to illustrate critical moments of situational samples. Moderator: Hans Lenhard Learning goal information The own consciousness of dealing with oneself and others shall be broadened. Functions of process and structure in the setting of gestalt work shall get acquainted with. Direct communication can be exercised and improved. Possibilities of shapable relationship to partners “on the job” and within the group, i.e. a totally understanding of work and life shall give role routines and personal security to the graduates. Leading questions are: How do I realize the polarisation of devoted attendance stimulating confrontation in contact with my partners? How do I use the taught techniques and instruments in the real “on the job” situation? How is it getting along with personal integration of body, emotion, mind and spiritualism? Methodical organization Case presentations by videos of each member of the workshop are the basis for individual work. Documentations are looked at and commented on step by step, i.e. small micro sequences. Alternatives of action of the group members increase the repertoire of the person, introducing the case.


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Didactic Information Module 3 Further Education: Training Management Learning Unit 3.1: Theory and practise of advice Contents: In module 3 founded advisory competences are given and trained. Here theoretical basis is the concept for development of human potentials, one method of work resulting from human psychology. The participants have the possibility to enlarge their personal and individual power. Organization: Module 3 combines

- self learning on the computer - working in teams - refer to theoretical literature and internet inquiry - organization of a data bank

in combination with - experimental way of learning of advisory routines - individual elaborations - exercising in daily work field.

Moderator: Christoph Lau / Stefan Köhler / Prof. Hans Lenhard / Prof. Cecilia Conaco; Learning goal information In this module practical competences of acting are taught for moderation of problem solutions and working group processes, as well as WIA does it with theoretical devisory knowledge. The participants can prove their existing competences by listening and consulting, furthermore they can differentiate and finally deepen them. Sub-themes are besides others: Consciousness and fantasy Feedback / Changing themes / Conversation control Working with graphic analogues and metaphors / Bases of diagnosis. Methodical organization Beginning with a kick-off-day in the group of the course Forming of learning teams Individual feedback via e-mail by an e-learning moderator Individual internet counselling Video tapes of counselling sequences Final integration day By several steps and as well as visual and in substance varying themes the participants are able to navigate without assistance within the learning program and can deal with partial parts in their own learning rhythm.

Didactic Information Module 4 Further Education: Training Management Learning Unit 4.2 Professional Competence I To plan workshops creatively From the beginning to the end of the workshop Contents

- Meaning of the contract - Phases of a workshop - Methods of controlling and analysis of group processes - Application fields, targets and evaluation systems of methods - Check-list of methods - Role of the trainer – role of the moderator – role of the executive leader - To make success visible – possibilities of evaluation of a workshop

Moderator of the Course:: Heiner Sonek / Dieter Goeschel / Learning goal information One task of the trainer is to adjust his methodical competences to the respective situations. Therefore it is very helpful to know about numerous kinds of procedures in order to choose the “right” one. This workshop will deal with learning how to get a plenty filled “handicraft” suitcase. Target group oriented workshop designs are developed together by samples of practise. Leading questions are f.i.: What do you have to take care off by preparing workshops? Which methods of entry are available? How can I show a typical team situation? When do I use which method? How do I develop close attention in a workshop? How can I use feedback in a group process? What do I have to take care off by using the methods/exercises? How do I manage the transition from exercise to the transference into practise? Methodical organization Methods:

- learning dialogue - mediation of methods - dealing with practical samples - exercise with structured feedback


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Didactic Information Module 6

Further Training Course: Training Management Learning Unit 6.1: Competence of Reflection and Supervision Case Work/Coaching/Supervision Contents:

- coaching/supervision as a model for advancement of professional competence - role of the coaches/supervisors - methods of analysis of professional competence - application of methods by practical samples - techniques of managing conversation - handling of difficult situations in conversation and groups - phases of a developmental process - methods of advancement of the own professional competence - video analysis as a feedback tool - methods for ensuring the learning process

Organization This learning unit is planned as a 3 day workshop. Case presentation regarding the perspective of the moderator and those of practise of the participants cover one third of the work. Actual records of performed scenes on the job show the video-micro-analysis. Moderator: Dieter Goeschel / Hans Lenhard Learning goal information Coaching/supervision is the capability to advance professional competence. This methodical process competence is a substantial part of success to manage well a workshop oriented on the development of individual fields of competence. The procedure of coaching and group supervision is shown by own case samples. Learning questions are f. i.: Which kind of use does have coaching/supervision? What is the difference between supervision and coaching? What has been looked for in case of coaching? Which techniques of feedback can I apply? How do I recognize the standard of development of a group? How can I carefully shape developmental processes? Methodical organization

- learning dialogue - transference of knowledge - samples of practise - case work - video feedback - ball-bearing feedback


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INPUT OF BASICS – INTO THE SUCOC PROJECT-STRUCTURE For post graduate studies at UP Diliman

Regulations for the Conduct of Study and Examination for the Further Education Program: “Personal Development and Professional Education Management”: Based on the exam guidelines of the University Kassel, Department 4, Institute for Social Therapy, Supervision and Organizational Development, January 15, 2005

Preamble

Organizations need people with a high level of responsibility in management and at positions where potentials of colleagues are promoted and education and further education is offered in response to all resources of their organization. Respective and careful treating of people and partners in personal development as well as moderate use of all resources are the basis for a humanistic oriented form in job and life as it underlies the concept of the further education program. – By no means it shall not arrange further control stimulation into complex organizational systems and by that to expand steadily the market with new controlling concepts. The participating professors are eager to support people in their development and to stimulate them to integrate all together new theoretical knowledge, creativity and cooperation as well as a human basic attitude in order to develop a personality of instruction and guidance who can realize this function as trainer resp. training manager with his/her own visions and realistic reference to professional and economic possibilities. To accompany and to promote people in their process of job and life means to promote services which underline complex organizational, specialized and personal demands. Internal knowledge transference, qualification of trained and leading personnel and organized learning and further development determine more than ever the competition of enterprises. Besides that expectations are securing quality and formulating of compulsory standards which are increasingly directed to educational management. The further education course “Personal Management and Professional Education Management” therefore encloses as well acquisition of knowledge in the field of psychological, social and organizational phenomena as dealing with education partners, their values and opinions and their tasks and behaving in professional settings. In professional further education development and promotion of personal, methodical and professional potentials means discussion of numerous details belonging to the tasks and the specific enterprises on the one hand and a high level of consciousness and responsibility facing the whole organization and its targets. Acknowledgement of this university study program allows the complexity and comprehensive context to act accordingly in the field of professional education management and to deal self-consciously and in partnership with the demands of profession and enterprise, community and culture. On the basis of respective cooperation and efficient supporting atmosphere of study individual power and profiles are further developed. Direct feedbacks and intensive interactional process of cooperation support professional and personal growth, and by a climate of open and trustful communication a learning space is created in which job and life are integrated parts.

Content L Common Conditions

§ 1 Field of Application § 2 Certification § 3 Extent of the further Education Study § 4 Examination Committee

II. Certificate Regulations § 5 Registration § 6 Kind of Examination Achievements § 7 Written Paper § 8 Oral Examination / Colloquy § 9 Final Work, Examination Colloquy § 10 Grading

III. Final Conditions § 10 Operation Enclosures


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I. Common Conditions

§ 1 Field of Application This regulation of examination for the further education program “Personal Development and Professional Education Management” completes the General Conditions for regulation of examination of the University Kassel for the part of further education besides occupation. § 2 Certification (1) According to cumulative received records and the final examination the Department of Social Work of the University Kassel gives the final certificate “Certified Trainer/Training Manager”. (2) The further education study “Personal Development and Professional Education Management” is outlined in its profile as an utilization oriented study program. For that details can be seen in the curricular plan. § 3 Duration of Further Education Study (1) The study term lasts four semesters while working in order to get the certificate – including the crucial paper. (2) The further education circumvents 64 credits, thereby 17 credits for the final examination (written paper, documentation of integration, final paper and final presentation with special discussion). § 4 Examination Committee (1) The examination committee of the course “Personal Development and Professional Education Management” is responsible for all decisions concerning examination. (2) Members of the Committee are

a) two professors of the team of the further education course (one of them is the head of the course) b) one professor of the course from outside c) one student of the further education course

II. Certificate

§ 5 Requirements for the Further Education Course (1) Only one can be admitted to the further education course who already is qualified by a final study of at least six semesters at a scientific college within the field of application of the German “Hochschulrahmengesetz” or at an equal foreign college, or (2) who has a successful professional education and at least professional experiences either in a paid or non-paid job in the field of further education or equivalent cooperation in the field of human resources for two years. Participation in further education in the fields of psychology, sociology and pedagogic which focus acquired competences and knowledge about person, group, organization, role, apprenticeship, counselling, therapy, field competences can also be legalized as equivalents. Qualifications and basic requirements of applicants coming from foreign countries are proved accordingly. (3) Good knowledge of the English language. (4) The existence of the basic requirements according paragraph 1 generally is proved by a conversation of admission lasting appr. 90 minutes, therefore two professors are appointed by the examination committee. § 6 Kind of Examination Achievements (1) Examinations have to take place as module examinations/partial examinations while studying; furthermore the writtenpaper, the final paper and the oral examination. Following kinds of module examinations/partial examinations are possible: 1.Homework / case documentation 2. Written paper 3. Final paper 4. Project presentation in the course of final conversation (2) Within the modules there also can be requested credits as requirement for acquisition of module examination, which circumvents an oral, practical or written record. The records are rated with “passed” or “not passed”.


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§ 7 Written Paper (1) The themes of the written paper are fixed by the professor together with the student in the second semester. The written paper shall exist about of 20-30 pages. Details are settled by the examination committee in a general resolution. (2) The theme has to be worked by the students themselves autonomously. The written paper must include the annotation that it is done by one own and only by assistance of the listed literature. (3) The rating of the written paper has to include all corrections and a duplicated substantiated judgement. The decision has to be substantiated in a written form. The records are rated with “passed” or “not passed”. (4) The written paper also can be done with agreement of the exam staff as a group work (at least three students) if kind and extend of the theme this warrant. The contribution of the individual candidate has to be clearly marked and justified. Paragraph 2 is valid accordingly. The number of pages increases corresponding to the number of students.

§ 8 Oral Examination (1) Oral Examinations shall last at least 20 minutes but shall not exceed 30 minutes. (2) Oral examinations are done by the exam staff in autonomous settings where professional members are present. The professional members take part in the ranking of the examination results. Paragraph 1 can be neglected if the oral examination is part of the written paper. (3) Oral examination also can be done as a kind of presentation. The students shall get the possibility of critical dealing with the reported. The content of the presentation has to be documented by the reporter and has to be made available for the exam staff . At the end of the presentation the capability of the reporter to answer questions with regard to the content has to be considered adequately by the exam staff. (4) Members of the University shall be allowed to participate in the oral examinations if the candidate doesn’t oppose. The participation doesn’t include discussion and announcement of the examination results. Further details are regulated by the examination committee. § 9 Final Paper, Examination Colloquy (1) The theme for the final paper is handed out in the third semester. (2) The period from given the theme until delivering the paper lasts three months. The theme must be provided in the way that it can be handled in the scheduled time. (3) If the candidate cannot deliver the paper in the scheduled time by reasons which he isn’t responsible for the examination committee prolongs the time limit for another three months provided the candidate applied for it before the end of the first limit and the professor agrees with it. Should the disability last longer the candidate is allowed to refuse from examination. (4) The final paper has to be introduced in form of a presentation connected with the oral examination. Generally the oral examination lasts 30 minutes.


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Hans Lenhard / Cecilia Conaco

Projektperspektiven - oder: Was ist, war und wird nun wichtig?

Eine erste Bemerkung zu dieser auswertenden Passage ist nochmals eine erfahrungsnahe: Bei der Arbeit an der Projektdokumentation passierte mir etwas Eigenartiges: Sonst war es – im Rahmen der vierjährigen Zusammenarbeit –ganz einfach: alle Texte und Beiträge kamen in Englisch aufs Papier oder in die Gesprächs-runden. Ganz unbeachtet stellte ich bei der Abschlussarbeit fest, dass ich deutsch benutzte und meine Philippinische Kollegin ebenfalls spezielle Aussagen in Tagalog formulierte..

Bei allen Arbeitsrunden war uns Englisch zur Gewohnheit geworden – ebenso, wie den philippinischen Kolleginnen, deren erste Sprache ja Tagalog oder einer der vielen Dialekte des Landes ist. Jetzt erlebe ich meine „Mutter-sprache“ als die „bessere“ Möglichkeit, mich präzise auszudrücken, variabler zu Formulieren und meine etwas verschachtelte Denkweise zu benutzen.

So ist das ein Heimspiel…und in vielen internationalen Events und Kooperationen geht es um die Einrichtung des Heimspiels; es ist ein wichtiger Aspekt, zu klären, was kann mitgenommen / beibehalten werden. – Sowohl für diejenigen, die als kulturelle Grenzüberschreiter in den anderen Lebensraum gehen, als auch für diejenigen, die Fremdes und Mitgebrachtes, Angebotenes oder „Aufgehalstes“ auf ihren Tisch präsentiert sehen.

So bleibe ich bewusst bei deutsch als Arbeits-Sprache und nutze die Übersetzung von Google und meiner Projekt–Kollegin in Manila, um dann eine für die englisch-sprachigen Partner oder Leserinnen verständlichen zweite Version – neben meine bevorzugte deutsche Ausgabe zu setzen.

Nun sollen diese persönlichen, rückblickenden Worte am Ende der Dokumentation ja nicht eine allgemeine Debatte zur Interkulturalität eröffnen.

A first comment on this Assessor's passage is a detail out of the “self-experiencing box”:

While working on the project documentation something strange happened. - During the four years of our cooperation all texts and articles were done in English - on paper and during the discussions and talks. Quite unnoticed I used my “German” in writing the final work; our Philippine colleagues also formulated specific statements in Filipino during this special situation. In all work sessions English was in permanent use, except when searching for specific expressions (each party returned to its home language). English is for “us” (Germans), as well as for the Philippine colleagues (whose first language is Filipino or one of the many dialects local languages in the country) a “second hand expression”. Now I experience my "mother tongue" as "better" way to express myself precisely and to formulate more complexly, using my somewhat convoluted way of thinking. The pressure to go “international” has turned into a choice of best expression.

It turns into a “home game” ... and many international events and acts of cooperation deal with the establishment of the home game. It is an important aspect to clarify what of the “new” can be taken and what of the “own” may be maintained for those who go across the cultural border into the other habitat, as well as for those who see a strange package, offered or "saddled" as a present on their table.

I am aware to stay in German as a working language and add a translation for my project colleagues in Manila and for the English-speaking reader. So this double structure allows my preferred German version and offers a second way to my partners.

Now, these personal, retrospective words at the end of the documentation are not opening a general debate on interculturalism.

Hans Lenhard / Cecilia Conaco

Outlook: What was, what is, and what will become important?


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In twenty years of participant observation and reflective monitoring of conflict areas in the "multi-cultural" field of the DFJW (German French Youth Office, Bonn and Paris) it has become important to me, to introduce the other self understanding for more culture-competent facilitators; and to integrate the expertise of cross-cultural modes of action into the special way, "our way", of project work.

Ostensibly it is a bi-university curriculum development, with the profound and permanently executed two "worlds" of influence and values. (except in a few meetings which were set up in a mono-cultural group).

As part of the practical side of project work our team facilitated discussion groups and coaching sessions within organizations in the Philippines and we have given introductions to creative work. Of course, the cross-cultural working platforms of these institutions have become visible in detail.

In many cases large foreign companies (with high investments export/import for example, German technical know-how and productive routines) or government agencies (which execute development-promoting functions) provide and prevail “in brought” and “usual” structured nature shows. Often those have combined in a culturally "shameless" or just naive action, although mostly without their actors` awareness.

I do not mean coarse German-national performances; it is rather the “inconspicuous little things" that mark the difference and are basic for distinction and avoid forming interaction in a way of interdependent relation.

To illustrate this:

Figure 1: A German manager meets with his potential corporate managers to celebrate their contract. Dinner is arranged in a middle class hotel. The German representative is dressed up properly - with a blazer, light blue office-shirt, tie and admirably shiny black shoes. Around him sits a group of local men (and one woman) in long jogging pants, light jackets and casual athletic footwear.

In zwanzig Jahren teilnehmender Beobachtung und reflektierender Begleitung der Konflikträume im „mehr-kulturellen“ Feld des DFJW ( Deutsch Französisches Jugendwerk, Bonn und Paris ) ist mir wichtig, das andere Selbstverständnis, mit dem die mehr-kultur-kompetenten Moderatoren – oder die, die die Kompetenz zum kulturübergreifenden Handlungsmodus haben, in die Projektarbeit „unserer Art“ einzubringen.

Vordergründig ist es eine bi-universitäre Curriculum-Entwicklung, bei der hintergründig permanent (mit Ausnahme weniger Meetings, die monokulturell besetzt waren) zwei „Welten“ ihre Einflüsse ausübten.

Im Rahmen der praktischen Seite der Projektarbeit haben wir mit unserem Team bei Organisationen in den Philippinen, Reflexions-gruppen und Coaching Sessions moderiert –

oder Einführungen zur gestalt-Arbeit gegeben.

Dabei sind natürlich die interkulturellen Arbeitsbühnen dieser unterschiedlichen Institutionen detailliert deutlich geworden.

Wie häufig dabei Großunternehmen ( die mit hohem Investitionspotential z.B. deutsche Arbeitsweisen und Selbstverständlichkeiten exportieren ) und staatliche Einrichtungen ( die entwicklungs-fördernde Aufgaben erledigen) und in mitgebrachter, gewohnter Strukturiertheit vorgehen, zeigt häufig kulturell „schamloses“ oder eben naives Handeln – ohne das die Akteure das allerding bemerken.

Dabei meine ich nicht „grobe deutsch-nationale“ Auftritte; vielmehr sind es die „unauffälligen Kleinigkeiten“, die die Differenz markieren und eher den Boden zur Abgrenzung denn zu beziehungsvoller Interaktion bilden.

Zur Veranschaulichung:

Bild 1: Ein deutscher Manager trifft sich mit seinen potentiellen Firmenmanagern zum Abschluss - Dinner in einem Hotel der Mittelklasse. Er ist korrekt gekleidet – mit Blazer, hellblauem office-shirt und vortrefflich glänzenden schwarzen Schuhen. Um ihn herum sitzt eine Schar von einheimischen Männern (und einer Frau) in langen Jogging-Hosen, leichten Anoraks und saloppen Sportschuhen.


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Figure 2: A German lady, employee of a development project, has started service - after a one-month preparatory training in the cottage of a Baranguay captain; the village is in the interior of the island of Mindanao. She does not speek either the local nor Filipino. The simple way of the sleeping place, which is offered to her in a cottage of the village community is by far different from her usual living space. Her job is to introduce an agricultural concept of planting to the members of the Baranguay. This situation of “feeling left-alone” is hardly a basis for successful facilitation and integration.

Figure 3: There is a large German company building up a service facility. First action of the Germans is the elimination of numerous seats and relax-banks in the big, not air-conditioned factory floor; the Filipinos rate this activity as directed against their needs. The local enthusiasm of playing basketball ( of the mostly young workers) are observed by the company. One basketball-field is set up. (for the 1600 trainees and technicians).

Such images are common in the area of international cooperation; they become triggers and access for thinking about the many problems and inefficient project operations abroad and working situations with foreigners in home lands.

When we are on our way to plan professional training for such situations where differences are a basic characteristic, we initiate detailed discrimination. Facilitating a process of such quality demands space for experimenting and integration. The ultimate competence is the ability to accept differences and be aware of one's own otherness.

Known from perception experiments is an accurate opposite trend of perceptual adjustment. There is a tendency towards unification, which cancels differences. In multi-cultural mixture (and that's the image we have as strangers in a new culture) the sensitive perceptual process is reduced and at risk; the non-perception of the differences makes it easier

Bild 2: Eine deutsche Mitarbeiterin bei einem Entwicklungshilfeprojekt, die nach einer einmonatigen Kurzeinweisung nun ihren Dienst in der Hütte eines Baranguay Captains im Inneren der Insel Mindanao angetreten ist – und dabei weder den lokalen Dialekt noch Tagalog, die Landessprache spricht - noch mit der Einfachheit des Schlafplatzes in einer Hütte der Dorfgemeinschaft klar kommt – und dabei die Aufgabe hat, die Mitglieder des Baranguay zur Nutzung einer landwirtschaftlichen Anbauart zu bringen – hat in diesem allein-gelassen-sein kaum eine Basis zu erfolgreicher Anleitung.

Bild 3: Da ist ein großer deutscher Konzern, der eine Service Einrichtung aufbaut. Eine erste Aktion der Deutschen ist die Beseitigung der zahlreichen Sitz- und Ausruhgelegenheiten in der großen nicht klimatisierten Werkhalle – und die Filipinos bewerten das als gegen sie gerichtet. – Und die Basketballbegeisterung der (meist jungen) Mitarbeiter wird mit einem Spielfeld (für die 1 600 Monteure) beachtet.

Solche Bilder sind alltäglich im Bereich internationaler Kooperationen – und werden zu Auslösern um das Nachdenken um die vielen Störungen und ineffizienten Projektabläufe im Ausland – und bei der Arbeit mit Ausländern daheim.

Wenn wir nun dabei waren und sind, professionelles Training für solche Situationen, in denen Unterschiedliches selbstverständlich ist, zu planen, auszuprobieren und letztlich zu integrieren, steht eine Kompetenz voran: es ist die Fähigkeit zu diskriminieren, Unterschiede wahr zu nehmen und die eigene Andersartigkeit zu bemerken.

Bekannt ist aus Wahrnehmungsexperimenten eine genau entgegengesetzte Tendenz der Wahrnehmungsanpassung. Es gibt also eine Tendenz zur Vereinheitlichung, die die Differenzen annulliert. – Im Multi-Kulti-Durch-einander (und das ist das Bild das wir als Fremde im neuen Kulturraum haben) ist der verfeinerte Wahrnehmungsprozess also gefährdet und reduziert; das Nicht-Wahrnehmen der Unter-


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schiede macht es leichter, da dann die vielen speziellen Charakteristika der Partner nicht in eine spezielle Handlungsstrategie einbezogen werden müssen.

Die Wahrnehmungsfähigkeit – und die dazu gehörigen simultanen Zuordnungen und Kategorisierungen - sind ein Thema, das im Team des hier präsentierten Projektes, wie auch beim strukturieren eines Trainingskonzeptes für Manger, Supervisoren und Coaches - sowie bei der Planung und Durchführung von internationalen Joint Ventures eine hervorragende Bedeutung hat.

Die Nutzung und Benutzung von unterschied-lichen Ebenen – zur verständnisvollen Klärung der Bedingungen und Hintergründen für Handlungen im interkulturellen Arbeitsfeld, ist ein weiteres Thema, das zu konfliktreduziertem Umgang im Mix der Mitarbeiter bei globaler Kooperation beitragen kann.

Eine Ent-Psychologisierung der Konflikte im persönlichen, individuellen Raum ist die Folge - und gleichzeitig eine breitere Problemsicht, da nur wenige der massenhaften dysfunktionalen und ineffizienten Abläufe auf persönlichen Problemlagen basieren. Hier auf eine Kompetenz zur Diagnose sozialer Situationen (deren Teil auch die Organisationsanalyse ist) zu achten und zu bauen, begrenzt den Investitionsausfall und die Rate gestrandeter Projekte. Dabei geht es darum, „sehen“ zu lernen, dass menschliche Interaktionen auf persönlichen, kleingruppen-spezifischen, institutionellen, gesamt-gesellschaftlichen, kulturellen und globalen Mechanismen, Strukturen und Prozessen zu verstehen sind. Und eine solche Sichtweise zu mehr vorsichtigem und umsichtigem Handeln im interkulturellen Arbeitsraum führen wird.

Die sachgerechte, inhaltlich angemessene Kommunikation ist im Spiegel unterschiedlicher „Wahrnehmungsebenen“ oder „Hintergrund-Verständnisse“ schwierig und problematisch. Das Wissen darum und diese Bewusstheit beim Handeln sind Basis einer interkulturell kompetenten Arbeit, bei der das „einfache“ Bezugssystem eines egozentrierten

to handle such situations, as, in this manner, not many detailed characteristics of the partners will be included in a specific action strategy.

The perceptional competence and the corresponding simultaneous assignments and categorizations are topics which have become exceptional importance for our team and the here presented project. In structuring a training concept for manager, supervisors and coaches, as well as in the planning and execution of international joint ventures, an outstanding importance is given to the level of awareness.

The exploitation and use of different diagnostic levels to clarify an understanding of the conditions and backgrounds of activities in the intercultural field is another issue which can contribute to “conflict reduced” dealing - in the mix of employees and managers in global cooperation.

A de-psychological handling of conflicts in personal, individual space is the result, as well as a broader view of the problem. Only a few of the massive dysfunctional and inefficient processes are based on personal problems. Caring for competence in the diagnosis of social situations (as part of organizational dynamics) will respect the structural dimension, will limit investment losses and reduce the rate of stranded projects. The aim is to learn to "see" that human interactions are to be understood in personal, group-specific, institutional, societal, cultural and global mechanisms, structures and processes. Such a view will lead to more respect, and cautious and prudent action in intercultural work space.

The fair, appropriate content-oriented communication seen in the mirror of different "levels of perception" or "background understandings" is difficult and problematic.

The knowledge about this and the role of awareness when living and working in a cultural mix forms the base for culturally competent work. The "simple" egocentric mono-cultural reference system and self-understanding needs to be reduced as a main conflict -fueling function.


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Selbstverständnisses (verstanden auch auf dem Niveau der Kulturen) als konfliktfördernde Größe reduziert wird – und damit im Arbeitsraum in der Fremde oder mit Fremden ein Störgröße weniger stark interveniert.

Die Realität der existierenden kulturellen Differenzen lässt sich nicht ausräumen (auch wenn Freundschaften oder Liebe das vorübergehend ausblenden); die Selbstverständlichkeit eigenkultureller Selbstbezogenheit birgt die meist unbemerkte Gefahr.

So ist das selbstbewusste, sachbezogene korrekte Handeln in einem mehrkulturellen Projekt mit einem „Entwicklungsauftrag“ nur die eine Expertenbasis; und auf der anderen Seite wird ein gutes Quantum vorsichtiger und sensibler Wachsamkeit für die Bühne des Interagierens gefragt, welches mit einem verunsichernden Sensor vergleichbar ist, der sofort Feedbacks auswertet, da er seine Arbeits-Impulse jeweils mit der seismographischen Karte der Feldreaktionen koppelt.

Wir haben dieses Projektbuch „Impulse“ genannt, um einerseits zu signalisieren, dass wir Rückmeldungen und Kommentare zur Weiterentwicklung dieses Verständnisses von interkultureller Projektarbeit (wie es die hier vorgestellte DAAD-DIES Universitätspartner-schaft ist) erwarten, um in Prozesse der Auseinandersetzung mit Ihnen neue Dimensionen zu eröffnen – und um durch diesen berichthaften Denkanstoß die Aufmerksamkeit auf „Selbstbewusstheit, Prozesskompetenz und sensible Interaktivität“ zu fördern, Größen, die im Projektalltag häufig zu unbeachteten oder Sekundärfaktoren degradiert werden.

Kassel, den 12. September 2009

This higher-trained sensitivity for cultural and inter-cultural affairs may lead to a reduction of disturbances in work areas in foreign countries and with strangers.

The reality of existing cultural differences cannot be removed (even if, temporarily, friendships or love hide and cover this fact ), the personal, own cultural self-centeredness poses the most unnoticed danger.

Thus, the self-confident, factually correct action in a multi cultural project with "developmental goals" is only one basis of expertise; on the other hand, a good quantity of careful and sensitive attention and respect as well as awareness of the stage of interaction is required. This is comparable to an earthquake sensor, which evaluates immediate feedbacks. This work level couples its work pulses with the seismographic map of field reactions.

We call this project book "Impulse", to signal that we expect feedback and comments on the further development of the herein presented understanding of intercultural project work. The DAAD-DIES University partnership offered a way to get into the processes, dealing with new and open dimensions of academic life. The report is our way to encourage increasing responsibility by thought-provoking and giving much attention to "self-awareness, process expertise and sensitive interactivity," aspects which tend to be often overlooked in the course of project life and by this become degraded secondary factors.

Kassel, 12 September 2009


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HPD DETAILED PROJECT INFORMATION FOR SUCOD Basic information concerning the continuing education program:

JPF – Job Process Facilitator in Management – a UP post graduate program

Supervision, Coaching and Organizational Dynamics in new dimensions of management The basic requirement is an undergraduate degree; but working towards a graduate degree or even an advanced graduate degree is preferred. - Experience is important and may substitute academic training; please present documentation to facilitate your special request. The program may be most beneficial for those working: - in management positions - or are engaged in organizational dynamics and OD - training - HR management - coaching - any profession that requires sensitive work with people. However, we will also accept applicants who are interested in a career change and who like to do more work along the lines of supervision, coaching, and organizational dynamics. (SUCOD). The program will be limited to a maximum of 18 participants. If registered for the full program, participants will be invited to join an "opening ritual". There are 3 modules in the total package. Modules contain 4 to 5 intensive 3-day workshops - usually Fridays to Sundays, starting at 9 am and ending at 5 pm. Workshop facilitators will vary across modules and there will be a mix of professors from the University of the Philippines-Diliman and the University of Kassel in Germany handling the program. The first workshop of module I is scheduled for March 07 to 09, 2008, facilitated by Prof. Hans Lenhard. - We have tentative schedules for the other workshops and plan to finalize the first batch (containing all workshops of the modules I and II) until April 2009. Because of the spaced (and weekend) schedule of the JPF-modules, people currently holding full-time jobs can enroll in this program without having to quit their work. The program may be completed within a year (for the 2 basic modules) and within another 6 months (for the additional process of supervision and integration – plus the examination.) The program costs are reasonable and vary as to the previous gained profile of competences and alternative choices. For exact accounting see financial flyer of the JPF Program. Companies sending in three participants will be offered reduced payments. Reduction will be then 25% of the participants individual curriculum. These above mentioned special company rates are also available for those in academic positions, those currently enrolled in graduate programs in a related field, and for those working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Requesting an individualized additional supervision process and administrative costs during the certification process. Those, interested only in one or some of the workshops, but not in the full participation of the JPF training, may chose workshops suited to their personal or professional needs out of the listed events; the following list of workshops may be taken as stand-alone units: Module l - workshop 1 (Personal Growth and Social Learning), Module l - workshop 2 (Basics in Process and Communication Skills), Module l - workshop 3 (Work Methods), Module II - workshop 2 (Change and Conflict Management) and Module II - workshop 3 (Intercultural Competence) The fee for each stand-alone workshop is PhP 12,000.00. Please make your reservations for the selected workshop in advance; acceptance will depend on the availability of slots. The special training events:


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ORGA-LAB (Module II, study event 3) and SUMMER UNIVERSITY in Greece (Module I, study event 4) are available at a program fee of PhP 20,000,- (M II event 3) and PhP 16,000,-(M I event 4) - (or at special rates to be inquired for). Special Training events like ORGALAB, February 20 to 24th 2008, or SUMMER UNIVERSITY for personal growth in Greece, September 8 to 13th 2008 may be joined as individual training sessions, however, they may be credited, if later a participant decides to do the full module or finish the certification program. Participants of the earlier HPD facilitator program will get their credits on all workshops, which show equivalent contents, if they decide to join the SUCOD certified program. The unique aspect of this training is a “process oriented and job related perspective”, which enables certified SUCOD participants to facilitate management and job related situations, problems and topics. Manila, January 2008

ISBN 978-3-86219-036-2

hpd – impulseHuman Potential Development

Management and HR development -a humanistic approachfor integrationpost graduate studies in intercultural cooperation

Universität Kassel , Germany & University of the Philippines, DilimanProf. Hans H. Lenhard and Prof. Ma. Cecilia Conaco, PhD

hpd – impulse€¦ · hpd – impulse human potential development management and hr development -...

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