Identifying and resolving mental blockages in the companyMental blockades - 1/2
- 31. October 2016
- Posted by: Ralf Juhre
- Categories:
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Behavior is always a consequence of the inner attitude. The human posture has its causes in thinking, so it sits in the human mind. Thus we also speak of “attitudes of mind” and “attitudes” that we adopt. Our thought patterns and thought blockades therefore play tricks on us and, in the worst case, ensure that we find ourselves in self-created negative thought cycles. That means stagnation, lack of innovation and creativity! Thinking-out-of-the-box is always necessary when old thought patterns no longer work and the existing and previously successful framework of thought is increasingly failing.
Mental patterns – what is that?
Mental patterns – also thought patterns – are thinking habits. We get used to how we think about ourselves and this or that in the world. We enter into “thinking routines” and adopt attitudes and beliefs towards ourselves, towards others and towards the world. Here our experiences and experiences influence us in a special way and shape our thinking and interpreting considerably.
If, for example, we have had bad, hurtful experiences, they shape our emotions and attitudes and influence our thinking about the people, circumstances or situations that we associate with the experience. In order to “digest” the experience, we try to understand it. We explain the experience through patterns of interpretation. These patterns of interpretation shape our thinking. If an experience is repeated, our memory reminds us of the earlier patterns of interpretation – our patterns of thinking and interpretation return to us.
In personal life as well as in collective group thinking – i.e. in departments, companies, organizations – such patterns of interpretation and thought establish themselves through communication and thus occupy a place in the historical memory of the individual and the organization. “This is what we do here…” or “We have always seen it that way with us…” are formulations that shape patterns of thought and interpretation (mental patterns).
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Each acquired mental pattern of individuals or groups is based on a personal and/or group experience.
How do mental blockages develop?
If there is a personal inability or an inability of an entire group to change a mental pattern on its own, a mental blockade occurs. The individual and/or the group is not able to imagine how to deal with customers, suppliers, employees, managers, result orientation, etc. in a different way. The previous thinking model has always proven itself and has proven to be good and helpful. Why should one imagine another model? Why should that be good? Isn’t it rather threatening, even dangerous, to leave proven thinking?
If the thinking model about thinking itself is “Never change a running system”, then fantasy is an enemy which threatens stability and which must be fought urgently with all means. Defensive strategies are used and mental blockades lead to blocking behavior and resistance, which manifests itself in different forms and intensities: Passivity, retreat, undermining, bad speech, criticism, service by the book, sickness, sabotage…