Relational Organizational Development

Eric Berne’s distinct theory about the structure and dynamics of organizations and groups is developed further. Illustrated by examples, the potential consequences of weak cohesion or lack of leadership are conceptualized. The concepts of imago alignment and collective imago are introduced, and their importance for leadership and organizational development are considered. Organizational development is understood as the development of the abilities of an organization’s members to relate, cocreate, and cooperate toward a shared purpose. As such, and based on relational thinking, leadership is no longer seen as the property of the leader but rather as a function of the whole group or organization. This leads to a reverse understanding of organizational development: Instead of changing structure in the hope that individual behavior will adapt to it, relational organizational development suggests working on the way people relate and assuming a supportive structure will emerge.