“Drama” is a fundamental concept within the process of career transformation.
Given its essential role, I would hate for people to dismiss the term as something solely from the domain of afternoon soap operas, teenage tantrum meltdowns or just a prefix for “Queen”.
Drama is not just a female or a guy thing. We all experience and are facilitators of Drama. It is the voice in our head that tries to convince us we are inferior or superior to the guy in the next cubicle or the woman in the corner office. It is the ego struggles that focus on “who” is right instead of “what” is right. It is one of the main factors in the erosions of trust and the shutdowns of communication that cause schedules to slip, performance to erode and precious time to slip away.
Owning our Drama
Some of the most damaging drama happens inside our own heads; the “stinking thinking” that tells us we aren’t smart enough, fast enough, have enough degrees or titles, generate enough ideas or have enough connections to succeed. It is also the fictions we create that blame our short falls of success or happiness on anyone but ourselves.
Major work has been done by researchers, consulting firms and universities on the pathology of drama and the impact it has on careers and corporate performance.
Two prominent examples are the “Drama Triangle“, proposed by psychologist Stephen Karpman in 1968, and its corollary, “The Empowerment Dynamic“, proposed by David Emerald in 2005.
Transforming the Dynamics of Drama
Contemplating dynamics like these enable us to understand the field of Drama and transform its components of persecution, victim-hood and heroic pursuit into the far healthier attributes of coaching, challenging and creation. When we understand these dynamics we begin to take control of our drama instead of allowing it to control us.
Through tools and processes like the IAM Essence Map and the IAM Way, we are able to see Drama thoughts and situations for what they are – teaching opportunities to enhance the journey to our Essential Best. Instead of being Drama Queens and Kings, we each get to become Queens and Kings of our Drama, rulers over the drama situations in our lives and careers instead of servants to them.
Teflon-coated Ninja Drama Deflector
We are in the process of applying for a patent for our revolutionary Teflon-coated Ninja Drama Deflector. It is a unique shield with the agility of a Ninja warrior and it has a non-stick coating for when even the best martial arts moves cannot escape the incoming assaults of drama.
Seriously, we’re going to be rich; because everyone needs one of these. Like the relentless attackers in a Jackie Chan movie, drama flies in from every direction and seems to never completely go away. The potential for drama always waits around the next corner or down the next dark alley. Our Drama Deflector is always on duty and is rarely idle. It allows you to recognize drama early, acknowledge it for what it is, learn from it, thank it for sharing its wisdom and then incorporate it as a strength instead of a source of weakness.
OK, I was kidding, we really have no “Teflon-coated Ninja Drama Deflector” … but the concept is a valuable one. Drama is relentless and can be crippling. But Drama can also be an invaluable gift. It is one of the best mechanisms we have seen for surfacing the knottiest issues in your life and career that may not be working as well as you would like.
Transform Drama into an Asset for the Journey to Your Essential Best
Learning to use the maps, tools and processes of IAM will make the most of your Drama. The IAM Way can show you how to transform Drama into an asset that works for you as a major part of enjoying your career journey and clearing the path to your Essential Best.
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I think you raise an extremely valuable point regarding embracing drama. Of course, we need to avoid creating unnecessary drama. Chaotic emotions block clear thinking and make the inner voice of wisdom inaudible. When we combine chaotic actions with chaotic emotions, we begin to attract mishap and create problems out of solutions. But when we feel ourselves in the grips of an emotional drama, your insights can really help. That is our golden opportunity to look at the fears that have been hanging around in our subconscious, waiting to be triggered off. By going through the INTERNAL dimension of the drama consciously, without resistance, examining and even trusting the experience, however painful, we emerge more liberated, more powerful, and more capable to achieve success through healthy, balanced living.
Bob,
What a beautiful description of how to make the most of drama. You said:
“Chaotic emotions block clear thinking and make the inner voice of wisdom inaudible. When we combine chaotic actions with chaotic emotions, we begin to attract mishap and create problems out of solutions.”
We describe this as acting from drama – which creates more drama. But when we can get clear and centered – inside our essential best – drama becomes that “golden opportunity” that you describe.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom!