Transaction Analysis 101:

Understanding Human
Interactions and
Communication

27th and 28 th July 2024

The Facilitator Avik is a high-energy facilitator and has been helping leaders and organisations perform to their full potential since
2004.
Core Areas of Expertise
Avik is a seasoned Organizational Development (OD) specialist with a rich background in facilitating top-level teams.
His expertise lies in Executive Coaching, Personality Type Theories, Top Team Alignment, Cultural Transformation, and
Energizing the Entire System for Exponential Growth. Over the years, Avik has collaborated with CEOs and the C-Suite,
guiding them to align their approaches to working, problem-solving, and addressing team issues.
A certified OD practitioner from TISS and a trained Executive Coach from Coach for Life , Avik brings a wealth of
experience, having successfully coached over 70 professionals in the last 14 years. His clientele includes senior leaders
from renowned organizations such as Jindal, Petronas, C K Birla group of companies, Walmart Labs, and Loreal.
Avik's unique facilitation style is enriched by his background in Theatre, a passion he inherited from his grandfather,
the eminent Badal Sircar. Having joined his grandfather's troupe at the age of 14, Avik seamlessly integrates theatrical
principles into his corporate engagements, making them more effective communicators.
During the challenges posed by the pandemic, Avik played a pivotal role in assisting a SAAS company in developing a
product for online experiential learning. He employs interactive methodologies in virtual sessions, creating immersive
experiences filled with fun, interaction, and introspection.
Recognized for his thought leadership, Avik was featured in the '200 most influential thought leaders to follow in
2021' list. Additionally, he has shared his insights at two TEDx events, showcasing his ability to inspire and provoke
thoughtful dialogue.
Avik's commitment to excellence and his ability to merge diverse disciplines make him a sought-after professional in
the field of organizational development, top team alignment and executive coaching.
ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY INTERFACE
Avik is a visiting faculty at GSV, NAROPA Foundation, JS Institute of Design and Vedica Scholars for Women. He is also a
guest faculty at IMT Hyderabad and TISS.
Some of the organizations that I have worked with
What is Transaction
Analysis?
What are transactions?
Not Banking transaction
or financial transaction
What is Transaction Analysis?
It makes individual mental processes and human interaction
explicable, understandable and shapable.

You will find out what happens:

1.inside you
2.inside others
3.and while communicating
What are EGO states?
Consistent patterns of feeling and experience directly related
to a corresponding consistent pattern of behaviour.
1958
TRANSACTION ANALYSIS TRIVIA

As a method of communication and a psychotherapeutic tool, it was meant to translate complex ideas and
concepts into more accessible and user-friendly language that could be understood by ordinary people.

The terminology used in transactional analysis is quite different from that used in any other approach.This is both
a strength and a weakness of the model, because although the language is memorable and accessible, it is also
regarded by some critics as simplistic and superficial. Berne was concerned to demystify the esoteric language of
psychotherapy so that it could be grasped by anyone.

Transactional analysis therapy usually takes place in a group setting. Berne believed that many problems could
be addressed more readily in groups, since such a format lends itself to the identification and analysis of faulty
social interactions and communication styles.
Communication Models
Communication Models
Think about a recent communication experience
where you felt a disconnect or misunderstanding
with someone.

What happened? Why do you think the

miscommunication happened?
 Scenario: A Breakdown in Group Project Communication

Characters: Raman - Student 1 Bodhi - Student 2

Setting: Raman and Bodhi are working together on a group project at a cafe.

Raman: (frustrated) Bodhi, I feel like you're not contributing enough to our
project. We agreed to split the work, but it seems like you haven't done much.
Bodhi: (defensively) I've been busy with other classes too. It's not like I
haven't done anything. Besides, you're always taking control and leaving me
with minor tasks.
Raman : (irritated) That's not true! I'm just trying to keep things organized and
on track. You seem disinterested, and it's affecting our project's quality.
Bodhi : (raising his voice) Well, I'm tired of you micromanaging everything! It
feels like you don't trust me at all.
Raman : (calmly) Bodhi, I'm feeling overwhelmed with the workload, and I'd
appreciate some more help. Can we discuss how to balance the tasks better?
Bodhi : (taking a deep breath) I understand. I didn't realize you felt that way.
I'm sorry for not communicating about my other commitments. Let's find a
way to divide the work more fairly.
Raman : Thank you for understanding. I value your input and ideas. How
about we sit down together tomorrow and work on the challenging parts
collaboratively?
Bodhi : (nodding) That sounds good. And I'll make sure to communicate better
about my availability. I want this project to succeed too.
Life positions refer to the
basic attitudes and beliefs that individuals
hold about themselves and others, which
significantly influence their behaviors and
interactions with the world.

These life positions are assumed to be

formed early in life and can shape a person's
perceptions, emotions, and choices
throughout their lifetime.

This is considered the healthiest life

position. People with this life position have
positive self-esteem and view others in a
positive light as well. They believe that they
are valuable and capable individuals, and
they also believe that others are equally
valuable and competent. This attitude
promotes healthy and constructive
interactions in relationships.
EGO States
Berne observed that as you watch and listen to people you can see them change before your eyes. There are
simultaneous changes in facial expression, vocabulary, gestures, posture and body functions. He realised the existence
of ego states when he made an interesting observation in a client.

In a session, at times his client had the voice and manner of a small child and suddenly she would transform to a self-
righteous parent who was critical and dogmatic in her manner. There were also moments when she sounded like a
grown-up woman who reasoned her situation logically.

In this context, ‘Ego’ does not mean what it usually does in our day-to-day life (that is self-importance). An Ego
State is a state of being that the person experiences at a given point of time.
 Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was an
Austrian neurologist and the founder of
psychoanalysis.

A revolutionary and influential approach to understanding human behavior and the mind. Freud's work laid the foundation
for modern psychology and greatly influenced various fields, including psychiatry, psychotherapy, and cultural studies.
• Transactional Analysis is based on two notions:

• That we have three sides or 'ego-states' to our 'personality (Parent, Adult and
Child), and that these ego states converse with one another in 'transactions'
both internally and externally with other people (hence the name).
Parent Ego State
This is a set of feelings, thinking and behaviour that we have copied from our
parents and significant others.

As we grow up we take in ideas, beliefs, feelings and behaviours from our

parents and caretakers. (If we live in an extended family then there are more
people to be influenced by and learn from). When we do this, it is called
introjecting and it is just as if we take in the whole of the care giver.

For example, we may notice that we are saying things just as our father,
mother, grandmother may have done, even though, consciously, we don't
want to. We do this because we have lived with this person for so long that
we automatically reproduce certain things that were said to us, or treat
others as we might have been treated by them. It’s as if someone has
pressed 'play' on a recording and we play back what we saw and heard
without question. The Parent ego state is rooted in the past.
Adult Ego State
The Adult ego state is the 'grown up' rational person who talks reasonably
and assertively, neither trying to control nor reacting aggressively towards
others. The Adult is comfortable with him/herself and is, for many of us, our
'ideal self'.
The Adult ego state deals with the here and now reality. It is the processing
centre and important because it is the only ego state that is not connected to
the past. The Adult ego state is able to deal with current things in ways that
are not unhealthily influenced by our past.
In the structural model, the Adult ego state circle is placed in the middle of
the Parent and Child ego states to show how it needs to orchestrate between
these two.
(Most people don’t hear their internal dialogue as it goes on so much they
just believe life is this way). An effective Adult can stop any negative dialogue
and decide to develop another positive Parent ego state perhaps taken in
from other people they have met over the years.
Child Ego State
The Child ego state is rooted in the past and plays back thoughts, feelings
and behaviours that we experienced as a child. For example, if the boss calls
us into his or her office, we may immediately get a churning in our stomach
and wonder what we have done wrong. If we explored the reason for this
automatic thinking, we might remember the time the head teacher called us
in to tell us off
There are three types of Child we can play:
The Natural Child – This child type is largely un-self-aware and is
characterized by the non-speech noises they make (yippee, whoo-hoo etc.).
They like playing and are open and vulnerable.
The Little Professor – This child type is the curious and exploring Child who is
always trying out new stuff (often much to their Controlling Parent's
annoyance). Together with the Natural Child they make up the Free Child.
The Adaptive Child – This child type reacts to the world around them, either
changing themselves to fit in and so being very good, or rebelling against the
forces they feel and so being naughty.
To identify ego states in oneself, you can ask
yourself the following questions:

• Am I Reacting Emotionally or Rationally?

• Am I responding to this situation based on my emotions and feelings (Child
ego state), or am I approaching it with logical reasoning (Adult ego state)?
• What Thoughts and Feelings Am I Experiencing?
• Do I feel like a vulnerable child seeking comfort and support (Child ego state),
or do I feel responsible and in control (Parent ego state)?
• How Do I Speak to Myself?
• Do I use critical or nurturing language towards myself (Parent ego state), or do
I speak calmly and objectively (Adult ego state)?
To identify ego states in oneself, you can ask
yourself the following questions:

• How Do I Interact with Others?

• Do I find myself giving advice, orders, or being protective (Parent ego state) towards
others, or do I engage in playful or dependent behaviors (Child ego state)?
• How Do I Handle Authority Figures or Rules?
• Do I tend to conform and follow rules without questioning (Child ego state), or do I
challenge authority and prefer independence (Adult ego state)?
• How Do I Respond to Criticism or Praise?
• Do I become defensive and emotional (Child ego state) when criticized, or do I
remain objective and open to feedback (Adult ego state)?
• How Do I Handle Stress or Challenges?
• Do I react emotionally and seek comfort (Child ego state) when faced with
difficulties, or do I approach challenges calmly and problem-solve (Adult ego state)?
To identify ego states in oneself, you can ask
yourself the following questions:

• How Do I Make Decisions?

• Do I base decisions on past experiences or advice from others (Parent ego
state), or do I analyze facts and consider the consequences (Adult ego state)?
• How Do I React in Social Settings?
• Do I tend to be playful, dependent, or seek attention (Child ego state), or do I
take charge and act in a responsible manner (Parent ego state)?
• How Do I Handle Intimate Relationships?
• Do I seek care and affection from others (Child ego state), or do I take on a
caretaker or controlling role (Parent ego state) in relationships?
Harry: Edna, make some coffee for me. P > C
Edna: Go, make it your self. I am busy. P > C Sudha: Do you have money on you? A > A
Yogesh: Riku, What is the time? A > A Ross: Don't you buy anything for me. P > C
Riku: You have a watch. See for yourself. P > C