"Scholars interested in the psychodynamic orientation are often referred to (paraphrasing Freud), as archeologists of the mind. Anil Behal, Principal Consultant at ORGDYNE Training & Consulting, LLCSM is different in that he is one of these rare individuals who knows how to combine the old with the new, using web technology to reinvent the group dynamics approach. I can only welcome this kind of initiative as a way of reaching out to a global community."
Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries
Raoul de Vitry d'Avaucourt Chaired Clinical Professor of Leadership Development
INSEAD, France & Singapore
"Anil has an amazing capability to create a vision and bring it to life. He has a talent for using technology to bring people together across the globe and provide value-added services. His mastery of technology and ability to build collaborative relationships is a unique blend. I feel grateful to be in his network. Thank you for all you do Anil."
Laura Hauser, CEO, Leadership Strategies International, Inc.
Negative Capability and its Role in Leadership and Executive Coaching
Online Certification Course: August 19-28, 2009
Co-facilitated by Anil Behal, MSM, MA and Somali Gupta, PhD
Testimonials from course participants:
"A very rewarding experience, highly interactive, with probing and focused interventions, drawing out every participant, acknowledging individual contributions and responses, linking back to the objectives and allowing participants to decide their own pace of learning, within the available duration. Personally meaningful and reinforcing my NC learning."
VLK Sarma, Independent Consultant and Facilitator, Bangalore, India
"Negative Capability implies a tolerance for ambiguity, a willingness to defer resolution and to let the metaphorical play of ideas expand the bounds of ordinary thought. Anil and Somali opened a space where a geographically diverse team of professionals came together and opened their minds, and themselves to the concept of Negative Capability. Bion might have said that understanding is the one thing we should not seek and yet there we were, actively seeking to understand. The gift we were given was one of space and time where we could engage, or not, in an active, intentional way. At times the mood was conversational and reflective, and at other times complex and rich. At all times Anil and Somali held a space for our contemplation, our exploration.
A wonderful experience."
Gayla Napier, Management Consultant, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
"It was an enjoyable experience. I liked the readings and they gave me new insights about organizations especially the role of unconscious in organizations and groups. Discussions during the webinar clarified these ideas. Interacted with some new and interesting people and some people (also interesting!) I already knew. Got over my block about web based interactions."
Dr. Unnikammu Moideeenkutty, Asst. Professor, Dept of Management, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman
"I enjoyed engaging with the concepts with others and thinking about them on my own. I liked the informal format and the open discussion of these rich concepts. I enjoyed the slides as a jumping off point for discussion. There was little drag in the discussions. People were respectful and thoughtful in their comments. I thought the leaders did an outstanding job in fleshing out the concepts. I learned again the importance of time for reflection and containment, the importance of tolerating ambiguity and uncertainty, and interesting ways of presenting the material to others."
Herb Bilick, PhD: OD Consultant and Psychologist, New York, USA
"This course helped me to advance my thinking on a much deeper level. After each session, I found ways to connect with the topic in my daily work. The facilitator(s) managed the delivery of this content using a very thought provoking and compelling approach."
Carolyn Scott, HR Director, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
"The webinar experience was new. However, it was exciting and stimulating interacting and exchanging ideas and feelings with like minded others. The concept has over time gained a lot of meaning, relevance and importance. I have already shared it with many people, and also tried to apply in my life. The important learning is that I need to be tolerant and welcoming about the unknown, uncertain, those who think differently, etc. if I wish to make my knowledge, experience, and life more whole and true. Thank you for introducing me to this understanding and conviction. Continue your good work so that many more can be benefited!"
Paul Siromoni, Trainer/Consultant, Kolkata, India
"I am not able to answer properly because I have only attended half the courses. So far, it has been excellent and I have enjoyed the opportunity to re-immerse myself in psychodynamics (which is my area of clinical specialization) and to make connections within the Coach Connections Consortium."
Donna Claire Read, Organizational Systems Psychologist, Resilient Alliance, LLC, USA
"Wonderful experience...I experienced turbulence within me at least twice...once when in the second module we were reflecting on silence - I felt the collective unconscious emerging and I felt that I was in some way connecting to the vast sea...I felt that boundaries were being transposed...my take home from this webinar is a re-openness to inquiry and feeling and a sense of being humbled by the power of the collective unconscious...In terms of course content I felt that the slides were very relevant and I could completely relate to them...the delivery was awesome - very supportive and allowing...the 360 degree questionnaire was somehow to me a disconnect as I feel that negative capability cannot be captured in a structured way...the moment we try and do that we once again use past data and mental filters fall in place - it is therefore at best indicative but I may experience negative capability as totally differently from my questionnaire output...Thank you Anil and Somali for a great experience."
Amit Saraf, Shillong, India
"Attending a Webinar was a new experience for me. It has opened a new way of learning but my attention wandered when I was unable to hear some of the members' voices. Then catching up was not an issue. Negative Capability as a concept is very meaningful. I see it can explain certain behaviors which were difficult to understand. I have been recently introduced to the work on "Psychodynamic Aspects of an Organization." I am fascinated by it. I need to explore this area further. This programme was an enriching experience. I thank Anil and Somali and other fellow participants for making this webinar a success. Great!! Thank you."
Dr. Kakoli Saha, Educator and Consultant, Kolkata, India
"To me this webinar on Negative Capability was thought provoking and revealed an ancient concept some times practiced without a label. It broke a myth that action is the lubricant to success. I found it relevant, participative and a great platform to exchange global views."
Shyleswari Rao: Chennai, India
"To be honest, initially, I was skeptical about an "experiential" experience being created in a virtual, remote group! However, through this experience Anil and Somali have created a tremendous connect for me with the group and the concepts!"
Balaji Renganathan, Manager HR, Schneider Electric (Asia-Pacific), Hyderabad, India
Dear Anil and Somali,
I want to congratulate you both for delivering a very successful Negative Capability Certification program in which I participated. I was extremely impressed with your level of creativity and depth of preparation evidenced by the thoughtful and stimulating material and discussion leadership. We may all have been familiar with related concepts, and even, in my case, have participated in several previous shorter NC webinars offered by Orgdyne, but this course surpassed my expectations in many ways.
I applaud your combined abilities to establish a trusting and dynamic climate in a virtual environment with a group of diverse professionals of discriminating intellect, a process we all know to be challenging in person. Throughout the process, you both modeled important behaviors which participants could emulate in learning to find their NC selves and advance the integration of the concept into their own work. So often, presenters share material in a basic and competent way that communicates intellectually but not emotionally. Your leadership skills engaged us with your passion and facility for communicating the material on many levels of consciousness, which, considering the content is highly appropriate yet deceptively difficult.
Thank you for bringing this offering to us, and I look forward enthusiastically to future Orgdyne events.
Allan Smith, MA, CMP: Coach Consultant, Biz Plus Consulting, USA
"The content was good: concise and relevant. Delivery was quite enjoyable - it was interactive, relevant and not too taxing on the brain. The slide show along with the voice content and room for sending messages to all or specific persons simultaneously was too good - the technological as well as the interactive component. It gave ample room for expression and saying (or not saying) what one wanted to, to anyone. People were sensitive to one another, and helping/enabling. Also the opportunity to interact with very learned people from across the globe was unique. I personally have a sense of being helped and enabled to move ahead, just from sharing how I felt stuck in silence, when we were having a session on silence. It was like being physically present in an experiential lab."
K. Bhanumurthy, Human Resource Department, Steel Authority of India Ltd., Bhilai Steel Plant, India
"Reading material resources were exhaustive - Interesting application of a classical concept to modern day leadership - The facilitators did a good job considering the limitations of the virtual medium - The program provided ample food for thought and got me thinking on the positive vs. negative aspects of leadership capability. Overall, a creative and insightful experience!"
Anju Ahuja, Director, Coregem Consulting, Bangalore, India
From reviewers and participants:
Coaching with Integrity: An Evidence-based Experiential Approach
"The material and concepts covered during this seminar at the University of Chicago are practical and applicable to issues that exist within my organization. The ultimate value derived from this seminar stems from the fact that I can readily implement any element of the concepts assoon as I return to my organization. I'm very much interested in recommending that my colleagues and senior level management consider exposing themselves to these concepts. I anticipate doing this motivation through example. Great team work on the part of the instructors/facilitators."
Ulysses Stanley
The Hartford Insurance Company, Hartford, CT
"Enjoyed the exercises and role plays. Instructors were very knowledgeable and provided us with useful suggestions for our particular work situation."
"I thought the class created a lot of new ideas, and after they were introduced, it seemed that it was common sense."
"Excellent stories and real life applications!"
"I liked the topic and materials. I liked the opportunity to share and listen. […] The last day was important in pulling together the ideas and concepts."
"Overall, it was an excellent and worthwhile presentation.The last part of day three where we opened up the group, brought us closer together."
From faculty coaches at Robert Morris College in Chicago, IL:
"This was my second seminar with ORGDYNE Training and Consulting. Both have been informative and useful in theoretical and practical ways. These seminars are edifying and a wonderful way to enliven the use and learning of psychodynamics in group settings. I hope you will keep up the good work."
Mal Rudner
Organizational Consultant
"Every single element of this program was a success, taking me from the bottom of doubts, to hills of satisfaction to the heights of delight: The material was richly balanced, the participants were informative an
alert, and the setting was comfortable and comforting, thanks to the facilitator who crafted a safe learning environment with unique elegance over the course of the course. Bravo!"
Magid Mazen, Ph.D.
Professor of Management, Suffolk University
"I found the seminar to be good in that it has opened
new doors of interesting information for me. Thanks to
all for posting the many interesting topics of discussion
and knowledge sharing, and Anil, a special thanks to
you for developing the seminar and online format."
Lydia Forsythe, Ph.D.
Professionals' comments on the curriculum design:
"As a long time consultant and coach to executives and Boards of Directors (particularly in the nonprofit sector), I am very impressed with both the breadth and depth of your design. What I mean is that you have addressed all of the issues I find most important and demanding in coaching, such as the difference between coaching and therapy, and the importance of ROI […] At the same time, you consider the depth of coaching -- right into the core of a coach's perceptions, projections, and self-awareness. I also enjoyed reviewing the supporting materials you have selected for the course. These materials are rich, diverse, and sophisticated. They have an 'edgy' quality that I appreciate in effective programs. […] Coaches not only help clients increase skill, competence and achievement, but often are most needed to help clients discern when to 'not know, not do, and let go...' Bravo, for your willingness to cover all of this territory."
Marybeth Fidler
Consultant, Speaker, Executive Coach, Kula, HI
"A warm and hearty thanks for giving me the opportunity to provide feedback on your coaching course, "Developing Superior Coaching Skills." First impression: This is a very thorough and satisfyingly deep presentation. I very much enjoyed your use of thought-provoking quotes and use of references. The quotes gave the presentation a vividness and lightness that a presentation of this length and depth requires. And the references added credibility where perhaps many might have doubts on a topic such as coaching where anyone these days can label themselves as a coach. I also reviewed the online supplemental articles, research, and other tools on coaching and found them to be a collective wealth of supporting materials for anyone interested in the subject of coaching. You have compiled here a very impressive collection of resources that provide theoretical, empirical, and actionable information on coaching. The emphasis on evidence-based coaching is reassuring, and I look forward to seeing more research referenced in your collection."
Michael Y Moon, PhD, MBA
Role Analysis Partners
"My overall reaction at first blush to your preview was a desire to attend the program and to learn more/more deeply than I have thus far. Part of that is my reaction that your content is well grounded; another part is that you seem to have enough clarity on intention and learning structure -- so often people sponsor programs without thinking about how to best help the audience learn (rather than just telling what they know); and another part is that you have built in multiple layers of learning and multiple connections to other learning."
Bill Monson
Director, Family Enterprise Center, St. Thomas University
"This is a very good course and I would have no hesitation to recommend it. I was impressed with the slides the first time I saw them, not least because I recognised the generic quality of much of the
American and Australian material. One consulting test I always apply is this: "if parachuted into a client situation with 10 minutes' notice could I deliver this presentation/course acceptably using their slides and my experience?" The answer is yes. I would have some differences of emphasis and style but I could do so."
Barry Curnow
Principal, Maresfield Curnow School of Management Consulting, London
"You have some excellent material to allow for great role playing exercises and a real learning practicum about coaching, feedback, and goal setting. This would also allow [the facilitators] to provide very practical and visible examples of how coaching works. To me these slides and the role plays that could be done relative to them would be a first class opportunity to practice and learn and to experience coaching from two great coaches and the day in my view would be sensational […] My understanding of adult learning requires involvement and you have the outline for a very dramatic day of adult learning."
John and Wendy Forsyth
Zibenza Consultants, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada