Gender and Authority: Expanding Capacities for Personal Authority in Work and Other Life Roles

GENDER AND AUTHORITY: EXPANDING CAPACITIES FOR PERSONAL AUTHORITY IN WORK ROLES

A Workshop with Alastair Bain and Sally Trembath Hastings

Issues

“Authority in the Mind” may mean a world of hierarchical relationships, often pictured in terms of rectangles, and boxes, expressing direct lines of authority downwards from the CEO at the top, to the worker at the bottom. Or it may mean a system of relationships, like planets circling a sun, that is based on gravity, and centrifugal and centripetal forces. In this “systems circling” model there’s greater interdependence, and mutually generated authority. To what extent does gender influence the conception, and the form of “Authority in the Mind”?

A hypothesis of this Programme is that men and women may be unaware of the systemic tensions they bring to role relationships through acting out of a different model of “Authority in the Mind”. Or there may be other models that are held, e.g. a model of personal authority for task, which may not be gender specific.

The Workshop will seek to explore:

the different models of “Authority in the Mind” that are held by participants,
their possible origins in family of origin and school experiences,
how this model in the mind influences one’s thinking, and behaviour in an adult work role,
and how it may be modified to make it more congruent with one’s adult capacities for generating personal, and group, authority for task.

Membership

The Programme is for professionals, managers, and consultants, who may be working in the private, public, and NGO sectors, or have their own professional and consultancy practices.

Previous experience of experiential learning is not necessary.

There are 14 places available.

Members of previous socio-analytic workshops directed by Alastair Bain have come from a variety of organisations, including:

Telstra (VIC.), Bendigo Bank, BHP (QLD.), Centacare (NSW), Coca Cola Amatil (NSW), Sisters of Mercy (NSW). University of New South Wales (NSW), University of Newcastle (NSW), Zurich Australia (NSW), Alfred Mental Health Services (VIC), Methodist Ladies College (VIC), Monash University (VIC), Department of Human Services (VIC), Newton Wayman Research (Vic), Richmond Fellowship of Victoria, RMIT, Russell Reynolds Associates (VIC), World Competitive Practices (VIC), VicRoads (VIC), Hamersley Iron (WA), Health Department (WA), Perth Zoo (WA), Wasley Institute (WA), Marist Fathers (EIRE), Mental Health Services, Wellington (NZ), Western Bay Health Department (NZ), Department of Corrective Services (NSW), Catholic Education Office (VIC), Ernst and Young (NSW), Mater Hospitals (NSW), Coal and Allied (NSW), Colmar Brunton Research (NSW), Amcor (VIC), Centrelink (TAS), Workcover (VIC), Shell People Services (VIC), CSC Consulting (HONG KONG), Brotherhood of St. Laurence (VIC), Wesley College (VIC).Eden Whale & Marine Discovery Centre (NSW), Auckland City Council (NZ).

About a third of the Members of previous socio-analytic workshops have had their own professional, and consultancy, practices.

Possible Outcomes

A better understanding of the “Authority in the Mind” I hold, and act out of, in my role at work.
Knowledge and appreciation of the gender basis of how authority is conceived, and taken up, by men and women, and how this impacts role relationships in my work.
Greater awareness of the “Child at School in the Adult at Work” in how I take up authority in my role.
Insight into family roles, and conceptions of authority, and their subsequent influence on adult work roles.
An appreciation of “wonder” as a source of authority.
Realization that authority is not a static, zero sum game, but a dynamic relationship connected with growth of my, and others’, capacities.
Giving up inappropriate models of authority based on school, and family of origin, experiences.
Changes in my management style that reflect a deeper awareness of how men and women take up their authority for task.
Acting out of a model of “Authority in the Mind” that expresses the generation of personal authority for task.

Primary Task of Programme

To develop insight into gender and authority dynamics in order to expand capacities for personal authority in work roles.

Some Useful Concepts

“Authority in the Mind”: the image or working model in the mindone has of authority, its sources, and out of which one acts in one’s role. The image may comprise both personal and shared aspects, and have conscious and unconscious components.

Primary Task: that task the organisation has to carry out in order to survive in its current form: i.e. the essential activity it has to perform while retaining its unique identity.

Task based authority: the notion that authority is derived from task and not from hierarchy.

“Organisation in the Mind”: the dynamic image in the mind we have of the organisation we are part of, and out of which we plan, and act, at work. It is unique to each person, and it is built up of thoughts, feelings, intuitions, impressions, assumptions and relationships developed at work.

Reflective Space or Learning Space: a consciously constructed space within the work of a group or organisation for reflecting on action, learning from experience, discussing feelings and thoughts, and planning the next actions.

Socio-analysis: the activity of exploration, consultancy, and action research which combines and synthesizes methodologies and theories derived from psycho-analysis, group relations, social systems thinking, social dreaming, and organisational behaviour.

Programme

Saturday, 9th April

2.00 – 3.00 pm Plenary Introduction

3.10 – 4.30 Work Role Exploration

4.30 - 4.45 Afternoon Tea

4.45 - 5.45 Study Group

Sunday, 10th April

8.30 - 8.55 am Plenary

9.00 - 10.15 Social Dreaming Matrix

10.15 - 10.45 Morning tea

10.45 - 12.15 Exploration of Child at School Experiences

12.15 - 1.15 Lunch

1.15 - 2.45 Role Consultation

2.45 - 3.00 Break

3.00 - 4.15 Exploration of Family of Origin Experiences

4.15 - 4.30 Afternoon Tea

4.30 – 5.45 pm “Family / School / Adult” Interactive Event

Monday, 11th April

8.30 - 8.55 am Plenary

9.00 - 10.15 Social Dreaming Matrix

10.15 - 10.45 Break

10.45 - 12.15 Seminar on “Authority and its Origins”

12.15 - 1.15 Lunch

1.15 - 2.45 Role Consultation

2.45 – 3.00 Break

3.00 - 4.00 Study Group

4.00 - 4.15 Afternoon Tea

4.15 - 5.30 Role Consultation

5.40 – 6.15 pm Plenary

Events

1. Plenaries

The Workshop begins with an introductory Plenary forpersonal introductions; an overview of the Programme and Events; a description of the mode of learning (experiential and didactic); a discussion of entering the Programme, and expectations.

Sunday and Monday begin with short Plenaries to reflect on the experience of the Workshop, and one’s learning. The Workshop concludes with a Plenary to review Workshop experience and learning. Plenaries are for all members and staff.

2. Roles at Work, Experiences at School, and Experiences in one’s Family of Origin

The Workshop is organised on the assumption that there are likely to be links between how one takes up one’s authority in one’s work role, and experiences one had as a child at school, and experiences in one’s family of origin. If there are links, what are they? There are four sessions, spread over Saturday and Sunday, devoted to this exploration. The first session is an exploration of one’s adult Work Role.

The second session is an exploration of one’s School Experiences, and the third session an exploration of experiences in one’s Family of Origin. The exploration in all three instances is through drawings, and sharing the drawings in a small group with a consultant. Participants should gain a successively broader, and deeper, understanding of the roots, and connections, between their family, school, and adult experiences of authority.

There is an opportunity to reflect, gather, and integrate these experiences during a Family / School / Adult Interactive Event, for the membership as a whole, at the end of the second day.

3. Study Group

There are two Study Group sessions during the Workshop, the first on Saturday, and the second on Monday. The task of the Study Group is “To explore gender and authority relationships as they emerge in the group”. The Study Group comprises the members of the Workshop and the two consultants, Alastair Bain and Sally Trembath Hastings.

4. Social Dreaming Matrix

There are two Social Dreaming Matrix sessions during the Workshop. The task of the Social Dreaming Matrix is to offer dreams, and make associations, and connections, to the dreams.

As the dreaming takes place within the container of the task of the Programme the dreams are likely to illuminate issues about gender and authority. The Social Dreaming Matrix draws on the creative aspects of our lives, how we can make meaning with others, and play in the service of work. The Consultant’s role is to hold to the task, and make connections between the dreams. Following a one hour dreaming matrix there is an exploration and discussion of what has been “grown” in the Matrix (commonly called a “Quickening” session). Alastair Bain and Sally Trembath Hastings will both be consultants to the Matrix.

5. Role Consultation Group

Participants will have the opportunity to explore an issue that arises in their work roles, and seems to be gender based, during Role Consultation sessions. There are three sessions, and members will be working in two small groups each with a Consultant.

The first Role Consultation session will begin with Alastair Bain, in one group, and Sally Trembath Hastings, in the other, each working as Consultant on an issue presented by a member of the group. In following iterations members will have the opportunity:

to explore an issue of their choice,
work as a consultant on an issue presented by a member of the group,
contribute to an understanding of the issue through offering observations arising from the consultation.

The Role Consultation sessions provide an opportunity to apply one’s developing learning about gender and authority to one’s role as a manager, professional, or consultant.

6. Seminar.

Alastair Bain and Sally Trembath Hastings will lead a Seminar on “Authority and its Origins” on the third day of the Workshop. The Seminar is seen a collegial exploration of issues, and questions, about authority, and it offers an opportunity for a theoretical grounding for thoughts and experiences encountered during the Workshop.

Consultant Staff

Alastair Bain

B.Sc. (Econ.) Hons (London), M.A. (Chicago)

Socio-Analyst

Founder Member, Fellow and Director, Australian Institute of Socio-Analysis, 1983 - 2003

Consultant, Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, 1968-1983

Founder Member, and Director, Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis

Sally Trembath Hastings

B.App. Sci., B.Ed (Counseling) M.Ed

Head of Counseling, and Manager, Community Services, Monash University, Clayton Campus.
Counseling Psychologist
Organisational Consultant and Psychotherapist in Private Practice
Former Member, Australian Institute of Socio-Analysis

Both Alastair Bain, and Sally Trembath Hastings have been exploring the nature,

and origins, of authority, in their socio-analytic work as consultants, researchers,

and managers. The Workshop represents a new engagement with the continuing

puzzle.

Inquiries

Alastair Bain

Telephone: (03) 9347 2053

Mobile: 0407 2054 39

Email:

Sally Trembath Hastings

Telephone: (03) 9905 3156

Email:

Venue

Royal Society Building

8 La Trobe Street

Melbourne 3000

The Royal Society Building is a beautiful heritage listed building on a triangle of land between Victoria, Exhibition, and La Trobe Streets, on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD. It overlooks Exhibition Gardens. On site parking is available. There are cafes and restaurants nearby for lunch.

Workshop Fee

The fee for the Workshop is $650 (includes GST). The fee is inclusive of tuition, materials, and morning and afternoon teas.

Cheques are to accompany the application for the Programme. Cheques to be made payable to: Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis. Due to fixed costs there is no refund of fees in case of withdrawal after 1st April, 2005.

Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis

The Aims of the Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis (ACSA) are:

1. To increase the capacities of individuals, groups, and organisations to lead, create, work, and take up authority for their tasks.

2. To explore social realities, and to contribute to understanding human behaviour, through socio-analysis.

3. To develop the methodology and theory of socio-analysis.

4. To share endeavours, and findings, through meetings and publication.

5. To train socio-analysts.

Founded in 2004 in Victoria, the Centre develops socio-analytic ideas and methods pioneered at the Tavistock Institute in London, and at the Australian Institute of Socio-Analysis. ACSA is one of some 25 organisations around the world working in the socio-analytic tradition of exploration begun by Wilfred Bion: in the U.K., most Western European Countries, U.S., Canada, India, Israel, and South Africa.

The Centre formally defines its primary task as: “To increase human capacities through socio-analysis”.

Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis

PO BOX 1296

Carlton

Victoria 3053

Telephone: (03) 9347 2053

On the Web:

Monash University Community Services

Monash University Community Services provides support and advice to students and staff on emotional, psychological, health, financial, accommodation, religious/spiritual, educational, child care and physical problems in order to enhance their academic performance and the University community life.

Monash University Community Services

Clayton Campus

Wellington Road

Clayton

Victoria 3800

Telephone: (03) 9905 3156

Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis

And

Monash University Community Services

GENDER AND AUTHORITY

Workshop

9th – 11th April, 2005

Application for Membership

Name:……………………………………………… Dr/Mr/Ms/etc:…………

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Previous experience of experiential learning: ……………………………………

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Expectations of Workshop:……………………………………………………….

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I apply for membership of the Gender and Authority Workshop, 9th – 11th April, 2005, and I understand that this application constitutes a contract with the Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis and Monash University Community Services to conduct the Workshop as indicated in the brochure.

Signature…………………………………………..Date………………………….

Applications, together with a cheque for $650, to:

Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis

PO BOX 1296

Carlton

Victoria 3053

Cheques to be made payable to: Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis or ACSA.

Or payment can be made directly to the Centre’s bank account: Bendigo Bank:

BSB 633000. Account Number: 122883523

Australian Centre for Socio-Analysis

ABN 49 109 435 403