Business Transformations

Business Constellations are similar to Family Constellations in that they are guided by similar principles:

• Everybody in the system belongs equally.
• Each person has his rightful place in the system.
• Those who came later respect those who have seniority.
• Managers give, employees receive.
• In a relationship between managers, the giving and taking needs to be balanced.
• Guilt and merit belong with whoever earned them.

But a business is not a family. The emphasis instead is on performance, role-playing, and competition. There is a hierarchy which has to be acknowledged, and there are two of them -- one based on seniority and one based on position -- that sometimes conflict with one another. People who have worked for major corporations know that the organizational chart and the reality of the way things work are often not exactly the same, because of personal relationships.

Everyone in the business has a job to do to further the goals of the company, from the CEO to the janitor. If someone is not doing his part, or is not treating others respectfully, this will affect all the other members of the company in both visible and subtle ways.

When people get fired or laid off, when there are company mergers or major conflicts, the company system becomes unbalanced. When people who have founded or contributed to the company in other major ways are not honored, the business system becomes unbalanced.

In a business constellation, the hidden dynamics are brought to light so the person doing the constellation -- usually a business owner or CEO -- can then have the information needed to improve the function of their business organization.

Checklist for possible applications*

• I'm starting a business. Will I be successful?
• What would bring my personal goals into line with my professional goals?
• What do I need to be accepted by my customers?
• How can I successfully expand?
• What do I need in order to attain my career goals?
• What is blocking progress in my consulting?
• What is behind the sluggish sales of product X?
• What would improve contact with our customers?
• What is preventing us from being successful in market segment Z?
• How can we strengthen our core capabilities?
• Is applicant A or B better suited to us?
• How can a team structure function in our organization? How does it have to be set up so that projects run smoothly?
• Is a cooperative effort possible with company XY?
• Can we rely on our foreign affiliate if we alter products?
• Are the areas of competence and responsibility in the company clearly defined?
• Have we got the right number of people working in department Y?
• What is going wrong between delivery and purchasing?
• Why does development have such a poor image in the company?
• Why is the position of sales manager such a hot seat?
• What is blocking the flow of information in the company?
• Why do people keep quitting in department B?
• Why is everybody complaining about quality control?
• What is the position of the new managing director in the system?
• How can cooperation between branch managers be improved?
• How can we integrate up-and-coming leaders in a good way?
• What would bring clarity to our leadership structure?
• What effect do the interests of the shareholders have on our company culture?
• How can we improve our internal procedures between A and B?
• How can we get our goals back in sight?
• What role do values, visions and goals actually play in our company?
• How do the employees view management concepts?
• Who formally runs the business? Who runs it informally?
• What would it take to weld our team together?
• What is the basis of the conflict between new employees and old-timers?
• What is the status of trust and loyalty in the company?
• How attractive is this company for new employees?
• What is my place as a consultant in this company?
• Am I allowing myself to be pulled into the company? Is my task clearly defined?
• Am I in the right place in my company?
• Should I be considering changing companies, or should I be thinking about becoming self-employed?
• How can I successfully and fairly mediate conflicts?

This method works very well in combination with other consulting approaches. A constellation is not a magic pill. It's more like a key you can use to open a door and see what's in the room behind it. You get a clear picture of how things are now and where they're going astray in the first configuration of the constellation. In the final configuration you get a  practical vision of how to get to your desired goal, or in rare instances, see that it is impossible, which saves you a lot of time and heartache.

*Invisible Dynamics, Systemic Constellations in Organisations and in Business, Klaus P. Horn & Regine Brick, 2005, Carl-Auer publishers