The need to write about process work comes with an intertwined opposition, a contradiction as it were. By definition, process work deals with experience and action using knowledge from the social sciences. All these are multidimensional. How can experience be written about except by reducing the multi-dimensional to only a twodimensional, linear presentation. The only way out is in fact to begin with a statement of my own position. This acknowledges a cardinal reality of process work itself and that is, that process work is essentially an enterprise in subjectivity, judiciously balanced and supported by empirical data.

Here is a key part of the technology of intrapersonal group work. It is equally efficacious in interpersonal work as well. Our tradition uses this method almost like a cornerstone. While putting these words to paper I was remembering an analogy – that of writing a book on cycling or swimming !!

True this note will not “teach” you how to be an alter ego. It will come in use as an adjunct to the workshop. It is intended as a memory aid should you need that.

When an alter ego you are operating from within the system.

Note prepared by Sushanta Banerjee for use in the workshop on Theory and Practice of Process Work, Jan 5 to 10,2015,Bangalore

Management sciences, derived in the main from principles of engineering, have largely looked at human beings as doers and acquirers. Man has been viewed principally as a utilitarian entity. In some sense the dehumanization was inevitable as the rush to create wealth from machines and capital focused on the efficiency of the means of production. Human beings thus came to be treated mainly as another of the means in the chain. Efforts at rehumanisation probably began in the late sixties and has since then been attracting increasing though cautious attention. In viewing each member principally as a doer and acquirer the “being” component of the human being has largely been left to fend for itself. Over the years it has become patently clear that the orthodoxy of classical management science approaches can turn counterproductive as there is a real danger of creativity and integrity getting eroded on account of perhaps an unintended emphasis on human beings and organisations as instruments.

Organizations are rooted in the principle of synergy. The discourse of most organizations is centered on having the right things and doing the right things.

This paper begins by offering a new term "Process Centered Institution Building" (PCIB) along with a description.  It distinguishes itself from the classical managerial problem-solving paradigm by stating that classically in management practice problems are approached analytically in order to arrive at solutions.  PCIB alternately looks at the solvers of the problem and the context of the organization. It relies largely on experience based learning methodology for designing interventions.

A Practitioner’s Account of a 27 year Journey in OD Paper presented at the conference “Organisation Development by Design” held by the Indian Academy for Organisation Development – Sumedhas Academy for Human Context, Hotel Trident, Chennai February 23rd & 24th, 2007 by Sushanta Banerjee.