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Expanding Reversal Theory Resources
For those who have been around OKA for a while, you know that we feel particularly connected to Reversal Theory, a practical and actionable tool for understanding motivation, emotion and change. We have recently developed some new approaches for learning Reversal Theory. If you are new to it, these resources are designed to get you started. If you have been introduced to the theory before and want a brush-up, you will enjoy this new look!
This newsletter's essay, by OKA's Consulting Director, Jennifer Tucker, talks about how Reversal Theory helps us both understand and confront one emotion we all occasionally share.
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Motivation in Action:
Learning Reversal Theory
 Despite having the word "theory" in its title, Reversal Theory is one of the most actionable models we have seen for understanding motivation, emotion, and situational leadership. Grounded in the observation that people change their motives based on the meaning they attribute to a situation, the theory points the way to both understanding and managing the motivational and emotional shifts we see in ourselves and others.
Here are some ways to learn about - or brush up on - Reversal Theory:
- OKA's Reversal Theory Training Site. This new website is a new free resource for learning about Reversal Theory, with audio-slide shows, sample videos (like advertisements, a viral home video, and a presidential speech - each with Reversal Theory commentary), and excerpts from OKA's Reversing Forward Fieldbook. Free.
- Reversal Theory Skillshop Web-Based Training. OKA now offers a self-guided program to teach trainers and consultants how to use Reversal Theory with clients. Build on your understanding of Reversal Theory, so you can use the tool with leaders and teams! Includes OKA's downloadable Reversing Forward Slides. (This is a great brush-up option for any AMSP practitioners out there!) $75
- Reversing Forward Fieldbook. OKA's full color 76 page fieldbook about Reversal Theory provides a deeper look at Reversal Theory, and provides both individual and team self-assessments to help you reflect on how the theory plays out in your life and work. It is also a great participant support tool to use during a Reversal Theory training event! $20
- Reversal Theory Slides: Designed to accompany the fieldbook, this Powerpoint slide show offers a ready-to-go tool for people wanting to talk about the theory with groups (included in our Reversal Theory Skillshop: Web-Based Training). Download Version (separate from Skillshop): $40
Keep an eye on the new Training Site, as we post our reactions to videos that seem particularly compelling from a Reversal Theory perspective.... |
Sample Reversal Theory Videos
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Advertisers know well how to trigger different states in you! See how MasterCard, AT&T, and GM have all used motivational states (whether they know it or not) to influence your buying (or at least try to!). Watch them, and read how!
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The home video of a creative wedding procession spread so quickly on the Internet this summer that it got 4 million viewings within four days of filming. See how Reversal Theory might explain this phenomenon.
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See how an October 2009 Presidential speech used the Playful and Mastery states to encourage political opponents to help "clean up the mess" of the recession.
Here's a screenshot linked to one of the sample video pages on the training site:
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A Quick Note: New Type Offerings
While this letter centers on Reversal Theory, here's a quick highlight of a new Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) workshop, and a quick note about our Portraits of Jung Type Behavior.
OKA Partners With NTL for Master MBTI Workshop
Register for the class at NTL. OKA is pleased to partner with NTL to offer a special MBTI Master Class featuring Otto Kroeger. Scheduled for 8-10 March 2010 in Crystal City, Virginia, this is an advanced three day exploration of psychological type designed for qualified/certified practitioners of the MBTI assessment. The session will deepen your insight into psychological type, and further develop your use of the MBTI assessment. In this program, you will:
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Dive into type dynamics
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Broaden your toolkit of type applications and training interventions
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Explore the meaning of preference clarity scores
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Discuss strategies for working with clients whose preferences have changed over time
- Reflect on how your own personality both helps or hinders your use of type
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Address the specific interests and needs of the practitioners present
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Engage in Q&A based on the needs of the group
 Using the Portraits of Jung Type Behavior
The Portraits of Jung Type Behavior continue to get positive responses from clients. Last week, we used it as a foundation for a half-day strengths-based feedback class with an administrative team that needed to work on their ability to have difficult conversations with one another and with their customers. Try the assessment yourself, and see how it could benefit the groups and coaching clients you work with!
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From Fear to Action with Reversal Theory By Jennifer Tucker, Ph.D., OKA Consulting Director
 2009 has been a big year for the emotion of fear. Between global recessions, flu pandemics, and identity-stealing e-mail threats, it is hard to not get swept up in anxiousness. At its best, the fear can be productive because it sparks us to take action; sometimes it becomes paralyzing because every choice seems fraught with danger and risk.
Reversal Theory has a lot to say about fear. In fact, it was noticing the difference between feeling exhilarated by a roller coaster and being terrified by it that helped lead to its conception more than 30 years ago.
In short, Reversal Theory proposes that there are eight motivational states, organized in four opposing pairs, that drive our emotions in any given moment, We can and do regularly change (or reverse) between the states in each pair. These states and their motives are shown in this diagram:
In each of these pairs, only one state is active (or focal) at any given time.... here's an example borrowed from "Learn the Theory" at our Reversal Theory Training Site.
Let's say that I am writing this page while in Serious, Conforming, Mastery and Other states: I am focused on the goal of finishing the page (Serious), I am trying to do it the correct way so the program doesn't crash (Conforming), I am focused on competency (Mastery), and I primarily have my reader in mind (Other). I am accomplishing these tasks (my motives are being filled), so I feel calm and proud of the work I am doing. When I do something really wrong, I feel incompetent, and a little fearful that I have taken on a project I can't complete. My motives are no longer being met; I want to achieve my goal, and I can't.
Suddenly, my cat jumps next to me and nuzzles the keyboard, fur flying everywhere, making me laugh. I suddenly "reverse" states - I am no longer focused on the goal of finishing the page, but rather the enjoyment of saying hello to the cat. I am now in the Playful state. My attention also shifts to remembering when I first learned about Reversal Theory, which makes me think of nice friends and colleagues, and I find that I have suddenly reversed into Sympathy and Self states as well. I now feel excited by the project and cared for by people (and a cat) that I love. These are reversals.
When we know about the states of Reversal Theory and how they work, we can learn to control our reversals, and convert fear into some other, hopefully more positive, emotion. Instead of fear "happening to us," we can actually create reversals to create new emotions.
Here's an example. Fear, it turns out, can only be felt when you are in the Serious state, the state that is motivated by achievement and awareness of consequences. I only feel fear when I am aware that some desired goal (or end) may not be achieved. On the other hand, it's not possible to feel fear in the Playful state. The Playful state is motivated only by the engagement of the moment: of what is happening now. In the Serious state, the roller coaster is scary, because we could crash; in the Playful state, the roller coaster is exhilarating because we feel only the thrill of the moment.
Roller coasters aside, most of us could likely name something that we are feeling some fear about right now. (Hint: What are you procrastinating on doing right now? Often, we procrastinate about things we have some anxiety about doing.) I had some fear about writing this essay: fear that I'll fail to capture my passion for Reversal Theory, fear that people won't like it, fear that I will sound stupid, or that it will be too basic and obvious.
So, how did I get past that fear to start writing? I looked at the other states and used them to inspire actions that would engage me in the process and moment of writing (reversing into Playful state), rather than reminding me of my nervousness (which is what I would keep feeling in Serious). I used the:
- Conforming state to inspire me to look at past examples of what I had written about Reversal Theory. Pulling from "what worked before" helped me get started.
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Rebellious state to feel good about writing something new, and something that is "outside the box" for many people.
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Mastery state to remind myself of how much I know about Reversal Theory, and to make myself feel confident that I have some knowledge to share.
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Sympathy state to remember all the friends I have met in the Reversal Theory community, and how much I care about them.
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Self state to push myself to be personally accountable and responsible for getting this newsletter out the door
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Other state to remember who I am writing for - it is for you, our OKA community!
All of these images helped me let go to take the writing steps I needed to. Of course, I did not use all these states all at once. Over the course of writing, I used thinking from one or two states to get going. When I got stuck, I turned to something else, from a different state. In the end, it was one positive thought at a time that compelled me to keep writing, and to be able to complete that which I had feared.
This is not to say that the Serious state is just about fear. Right now, in fact, I am in the Serious state in a very positive way. I am approaching my goal of finishing this newsletter, and am feeling calm and relaxed.
Fear is not the only emotion that Reversal Theory can help us understand and change. In today's world, however, it's not a bad place to start. Think about something you are a little nervous about, find a state to hang onto to get started, and dive on in. Find a way to seize the day and take action: one state at a time.
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Early "Call for Interest" - 2011 Reversal Theory Conference
Early planning for the 2011 International Reversal Theory Conference has begun! Held every two years, this traditionally is a conference for the Reversal Theory research community. Given the growing count of Reversal Theory practitioners, however, we are exploring whether there would be interest in supplementing this research emphasis with a one-day practitioner's track, with perhaps some time for socializing and networking with Reversal Theory researchers. The conference will be held in Washington D.C., likely 5-8 July 2011. If you think you might be interested in this kind of event, or if you want to be added to a conference mailing list as planning continues, please write to me at jtucker@typetalk.com, as I am the host for the conference. You can learn more about Reversal Theory research at www.reversaltheory.org. Thanks! - Jenny |
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Popular MBTI Training Programs and Products:
Visit OKA's Training List and the Store!
 OKA's MBTI training products continue to grow in popularity. Save preparation time, and add a professional flair to your MBTI presentations with these ready-to-go tools! Also check out upcoming classes! Access OKA's 2009 and 2010 Training Class List. | |
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