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Change management and defensive behaviours: a RedQuadrant Masterclass
Thursday 12th December 2013
Defence mechanisms
Defence mechanisms are protective
coping strategies adopted by the brain to
shield us from painful feelings.
We all have defences. Some are more
sophisticated than others but all of them
are protective mechanisms used by the
brain to help us cope.
Defence mechanisms or coping styles
develop unconsciously. It is as if a part of
the brain has decided "I'm too afraid to
feel this." These reactions are not
necessarily unhealthy; in fact, the lack of
these defences, or the inability to use
them effectively, can often lead to
problems in life. However, we sometimes
employ the defences at the wrong time or
overuse them, which can be equally
destructive – often when confronted with
unwelcome change or challenge!
Our approach
We ask you to watch in advance the classic film, ‘Twelve Angry Men’ and consider the
question: what defence mechanisms have been ‘stimulated’ in the different characters
when faced with change?
Your notes and observations will be used as input into a wider group discussion based
on eight common defence mechanisms often seen in the workplace.
We will then run a series of exercises designed to challenge and stimulate further
thought on how to manage within and around such defences in order to achieve
transformational change.
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