Unlocking team potential: an introduction to Transactional Analysis in the workplace

Welcome to part 1 in a new series for Engage 2025: Introduction to Transactional Analysis (TA), a powerful framework that empowers managers to build stronger teams, enhance communication, and foster a more collaborative and productive work environment.

Are your teams struggling with remote working and impact on communication, meeting fatigue, lack of engagement or motivation?

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, where remote work and diverse teams are the norm, traditional management approaches can struggle to keep up, are slow to adapt and often fall short in how to engage their teams.

In this series we will explore TA in the workplace, covering areas such as:

• Insights into unconscious human communications, their outcomes and how to target improvement
• The psychological need for recognition and its role in avoiding burnout
• Being OK with Not OK behaviour, and how to invite collaboration through positive change
• Values to live by: influence through agreement

What is Transactional Analysis?

Transactional Analysis (TA) is a practical and insightful theory of human behaviour used extensively in organizations worldwide. It forms the foundation for many coaching programs and leadership development initiatives. It’s success is in it’s ease of application, transferability of knowledge and ability to track behaviour changes through the skills that it provides.

TA provides a clear and accessible framework for understanding how individuals communicate and interact, enabling managers to:

• Improve communication: Gain insights into unconscious communication patterns and learn how to address them for clearer, more effective interactions.
• Boost collaboration: Cultivate a culture of mutual respect and understanding, where every team member feels valued and heard.
• Resolve conflict: Equip yourself with the tools to navigate disagreements and conflict constructively.
• Prevent burnout: Understand the psychological need for recognition and its crucial role in maintaining employee well-being.
• Promote positive change: Learn how to address “Not OK” behaviours effectively and encourage collaborative solutions.
• Build strong teams: Develop shared values and foster genuine connections within your team.

Want to dive deeper? Check out the popular “OK Everyday” podcast OKeveryday on YouTube or Spotify, for more insights on applying TA in everyday personal and professional life.

Why TA matters now more than ever

While TA has been around for decades, its relevance has grown significantly with the recent shifts in workplace dynamics. Consider these challenges:

• Remote and hybrid work: Teams are increasingly dispersed, making it harder to build relationships and maintain effective communication.
• Diverse teams: Workforces are more diverse than ever, with varying cultural backgrounds, generations, and gender identities, requiring greater sensitivity and understanding.
• Technology fatigue: Constant digital communication can lead to misunderstandings, tension, and stress.

TA provides a valuable framework for navigating these complexities and fostering a positive and productive work environment.

The foundation of TA: "I'm OK, you're OK"

At its core, TA is a humanistic approach that recognizes the inherent worth, value and dignity of every individual. This is encapsulated in the simple phrase "I'm OK, You're OK.", this principle emphasizes:

• Respect for individuals: Each person has unique experiences, perspectives, and strengths.
• Equality: Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of background or position.
• Focus on behaviour: While everyone is inherently "OK," their behaviour may not always be, and TA focuses on addressing unproductive behaviours while maintaining respect for the individual.

Guiding principles for managers

TA offers several key principles that can guide management:

• Empowerment: Everyone has the capacity to think for themselves and make decisions.
• Flexibility: Decisions and behaviours can be changed.
• Open Communication: Transparency and honesty foster trust and collaboration.
• Personal Responsibility: Individuals are accountable for their actions.
• Shared Agreements: Values and expectations ought to be co-created.

When it’s Not OK

While TA acknowledges every persons inherent OKness, it also recognises that there are times when a person can act in a ‘Not OK’ way. Here the focus is intentionally on behaviour as an outcome, and not on personal attributes, to allow for change possibilities.

The human factor

The variety of working styles, working locations and cultural differences in today’s workplaces brings with it more complex challenges with regards staff maintaining connectedness, relational factors such as empathy, belonging, misunderstandings, disagreements, conflicts and insensitivities, that are a natural aspect of working relationships, but which are becoming more intense with remoteness and distant working.

A key component of TA is clear, simple and direct language, avoiding jargon and complex terminology, making it easy for individuals to understand and apply the concepts in their daily interactions.

Ready to apply TA?

Start by reflecting on the "I'm OK, You're OK" principle. How can you foster a culture of respect and equality within your team? How can you address "Not OK" behaviours constructively, using clearer language?

By learning more about and embracing the principles of TA, you can unlock your team's full potential and create a more positive and productive workplace.

The schools of TA

Transactional Analysis (TA) has four schools of application:

• Organisational
• Psychotherapy
• Counselling
• Educational

Each school applies TA theory to each setting as appropriate, and there are separate qualifications pertaining to each school. The very basic and initial qualification for all four schools is the TA 101 certificate, which provides a high-level introduction to many TA theories. You can find out more here Transactional Analysis - Jason Brennan.

(Stay tuned for the next article in this series, where we'll explore the different ego states and how they influence communication.)

Jason Brennan

Founder and psychotherapist

www.thinkwell-ireland.com