ABSTRACT
At the end of the preceding chapter, we confirmed that the emotional content of organising is one of the reasons why effective organisational change is so difficult. This chapter explores that idea further, but importantly, we also add another dimension: social systems theory. This additional dimension is important because it gives a framework for working with the emotional component of organising. Without that framework, those charged with organising effectively may be left stranded: 'You've shown me the problem. What do I do for the best?' The interplay and conflict between emotion, our conscious and unconscious defences against emotions and external reality, and a systemic view of organising, all potentially give some ways for considering 'what to do for the best'. This linkage of the emotional processes – the psychodynamics – and systemic thinking is called institutional transformation.
