Many organizations, when faced with making large changes, focus on the objective aspects of the system such as process, policy and procedure. Leaders and consultants alike frequently underestimate the importance of the human experience of change. Successful organizations recognize the importance of engaging employees as whole people rather than merely a pair of hands. The Transpiral Model provides a framework for assessing, understanding, and supporting the needs of people as crucial elements to the success of an organization.
Today’s knowledge workers switch employers frequently to actualize their fullest career potential. Organizations which do not value employees as whole individuals do not retain expertise. In order for an organization to maximize its fullest potential, it must support individuals in maximizing their fullest potentials. Psychologist Abraham Maslow described a Hierarchy of Needs (the bottom triangle in the diagram on left) or steps which an individual must take in order to achieve self actualization. The Transpiral Model builds on Maslow’s work and addresses the steps needed to achieve group and organizational actualization.
According to Maslow (1999), an individual addresses his or her needs in order of priority, beginning with basic physiological needs. Before an individual can achieve a great work, such as painting a masterpiece, he or she must have adequately addressed the needs for food, shelter, developed nurturing relationships, and must have positive self-esteem. Maslow reminds us that self actualization is not a static state, but rather something toward which one strives throughout life. Professionals in today’s labor market have achieved some degree of self actualization in order to have graduated from higher learning institutions.
Tuckman (1965) identified the popular model for the formation of groups in organizations: forming-storming-norming-performing. The Transpiral Model (shown on the upper left) combines Maslow’s Heirarchy with Tuckman’s developmental sequence (middle triangle) and then adds steps toward group actualization (top triangle). More than the ability to work together, group actualization is a state of high performance.
According to Maslow (1999), an individual addresses his or her needs in order of priority, beginning with basic physiological needs. Before an individual can achieve a great work, such as painting a masterpiece, he or she must have adequately addressed the needs for food, shelter, developed nurturing relationships, and must have positive self-esteem. Maslow reminds us that self actualization is not a static state, but rather something toward which one strives throughout life. Professionals in today’s labor market have achieved some degree of self actualization in order to have graduated from higher learning institutions.
Tuckman (1965) identified the popular model for the formation of groups in organizations: forming-storming-norming-performing. The Transpiral Model (shown on the upper left) combines Maslow’s Heirarchy with Tuckman’s developmental sequence (middle triangle) and then adds steps toward group actualization (top triangle). More than the ability to work together, group actualization is a state of high performance.
In order for a group such as a team, and organization, a business, or a community to actualize its fullest potential, it must meet the requirements defined in the top triangle of the model. The group must have financial accountability and be fiscally solvent in order to achieve its fullest potential. The group must be secure, meaning that there are no threats to individual safety or to the safety of the group. This security could be physical or psychological. Psychological security of the group blends into the next level of group actualization, respect. Respect is important especially during decision making. Respect leads to trust. Groups frequently function without perfect trust, but in order for a group to achieve its fullest potential, trust is crucial.
When a group is financially stable, when all the members are physically and psychologically safe, when there is enough respect to facilitate effective communication and decision making, and when the level of trust is such that individuals may act on behalf of the group without taking time to ask permission; only then is it possible for a group to achieve its maximum potential. As with self actualization, group actualization is not a static end state. Rather its reached in peak moments. Peak moments provide the group with feedback on how to strengthen the preceding steps to actualization in order to sustain actualization for longer and longer periods.
The Transpiral Model is my original work and it earned me a Master of Arts from Prescott College in 2005. It is my intention to make this work available to anyone who is interested. In addition to periodic blogs I will explore both traditional and non-traditional venues for publication. You may contact me to request a free ebook of The Transpiral Model of Social Change.
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