Change management and defensive behaviours: a RedQuadrant Masterclass

Thursday 12th December 2013

Defence mechanisms

Defence mechanisms are protective

coping strategies adopted by the brain to

shield us from painful feelings.

We all have defences. Some are more

sophisticated than others but all of them

are protective mechanisms used by the

brain to help us cope.

Defence mechanisms or coping styles

develop unconsciously. It is as if a part of

the brain has decided "I'm too afraid to

feel this." These reactions are not

necessarily unhealthy; in fact, the lack of

these defences, or the inability to use

them effectively, can often lead to

problems in life. However, we sometimes

employ the defences at the wrong time or

overuse them, which can be equally

destructive – often when confronted with

unwelcome change or challenge!

Our approach

We ask you to watch in advance the classic film, ‘Twelve Angry Men’ and consider the

question: what defence mechanisms have been ‘stimulated’ in the different characters

when faced with change?

Your notes and observations will be used as input into a wider group discussion based

on eight common defence mechanisms often seen in the workplace.

We will then run a series of exercises designed to challenge and stimulate further

thought on how to manage within and around such defences in order to achieve

transformational change.