Leaders and those in the healing professions are often able to help people understand and appreciate their personal narratives. In effect, the leader or healer is given powers of authorship (authority) over the personal mythologies. The leader helps them interpret a set of circumstances in a more positive, empowering light. Doing this creates a new motivational landscape for followers and allows them to understand their personal history in a way that facilitates their growth and development. Simply put, this process consists of:
- Active listening to the problems and issues of the current situation (the pre-transformational mythology).
- Understanding the issues – this is accomplished by asking questions and probing deeper into the issues.
- Agreeing on the key points of the pre-transformational mythology and then telling the pre-transformation story.
- Turning it around – this involves the leader re-interpreting the mythology almost like a diviner or therapist would do. For example, conflict in the home of origin could be
interpreted as a motivation to ensure that conflict is dealt with in new, creative ways in the future. Questions such as ‘what have you learned from this process?’ and ‘what advantage has this given you over the other people here?’ are key to ensuring a different perspective.
Describing the new, empowered perspective – here the leader tells the new personal mythology - Changing the language – the follower is asked to tell the newly agreed upon personal mythology. The key here is that when the language changes, the experience of reality also starts to change.
- Reinforcing the transformation – the follower is now regarded by the leader as having transformed. They are seen as being newly empowered, changed, capable and whole. The language the leader uses further reinforces this transformation. Statements such as: Remember how you used to feel before we spoke? / Isn’t it simple to see things in a different light? / Isn’t it nice to have that situation behind us? / You look far calmer and more purposeful now.
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