Working Together: Organizational Transactional Analysis and Business Performance

Citation

Mann, S. (2013), "Working Together: Organizational Transactional Analysis and Business Performance", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 379-380. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-04-2013-0044

Organizational Transactional Analysis (TA) is a discipline with a focus on enabling strong and effective communication, development and change across the individual, team and department levels within on organization. TA itself is a tool of social psychology that promotes and improves communication and thus, relationships. This book then, applies the general principles of TA to organizational settings. The aim then of the book is to demonstrate how enhanced working relationships can improve productivity.

TA is not, say the authors, just a set of techniques but a comprehensive structured set of concepts offering a holistic framework leading to development and change. The specific philosophy on which TA is based is:

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  we all have the ability to think;

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  we make decisions about ourselves and others as we grow up; many of these decisions are not helpful to us as adults but these can be changed; and

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  we all have the right to be in the world and to be treated well.

These philosophical points lead to the further basic principles of open communication (i.e. sharing as much information with others as we can) and to a contractual method 9 (i.e. an agreement about how people work together and who is responsible for what).

The book is split into two distinct sections covering 16 main chapters (excluding the introduction and conclusion) that cover in the first section the central organizational TA concepts and in the second part, the application of TA in areas such as bullying, stress and conflict. The style is fairly conversational, with a good balance between the academic and the practical. Each chapter includes as small vignette or case study which is then explored using TA theory; one of the strong features of the book is the way that this TA theory runs as a dialogue alongside the case studies. Chapters are peppered liberally with diagrammatic representations (some of which are a little complex and could do with being somewhat larger on the page) and models that bring the text to life, and all end with some useful exercises in which the interested reader can work through some of the material learned. However, no suggested answers to the exercises are supplied, which does make these slightly onerous to complete – and likely to appeal only to the very keen. Some of the exercises are probably more useful than others; a particular highlight for me is the Stroke Exchange in Chapter 5 (Recognition) and the Contracting for Outcomes Proforma in Chapter 6 (Agreeing the way forward).

Although the book is intended to be read either all the way through, or dipped in and out of as required, I found that many of the material in the later chapters build on the earlier chapters so if it probably wise to at least read all of the first section on general TA concepts before dipping into any chapters in the second section.

Overall, this is an excellent text on applying TA to organizations but one that is likely to appeal more to TA practitioners, trainers, coaches or consultants than to managers new to the area. It is a complex book that would be hard to assimilate without any context so unlikely to be a valuable tool for everyone. However, for business consultants wanting to apply TA or looking for new ways of working with organisations, this is an excellent resource well worth adding to your bookshelf.