How Organisational Psychotherapy Improves Inter-Organisational Relationships

The Intricacies of Business: More than Meets the Eye

Business is a complex tapestry woven with transactions, contracts, and yes, human relationships. Every thread, whether internal or external, plays its part in shaping the fabric of an organisation. One method of fine-tuning this tapestry is organisational psychotherapy, which often has a profound impact beyond the organisation’s walls, affecting its relationships with key external stakeholders—such as customers, suppliers, institutional investors, and regulators.

An Aside: The Keiretsu Connection

Before diving in, it’s worth noting the influence of Keiretsu—a Japanese network of businesses with interlinked relationships and shareholdings. While not the main focus of this discussion, understanding the ripple effect of organisational psychotherapy within such a network can add another layer to its wide-reaching impact. More on that later.

The Customer Quotient: Beyond Transactional Relationships

Customer service isn’t merely a function of good manners or efficient systems; it’s often an outcome of healthy organisational dynamics. Organisational psychotherapy helps to create a more engaged, happier workforce. This naturally trickles down to customer interactions, where service becomes less about protocol and more about authentic engagement.

A Fresh Approach to Suppliers: Beyond Price Points

Traditional relationships with suppliers often revolve around price negotiations and contractual obligations. However, when a company undergoes organisational psychotherapy, the focus expands to include softer aspects like trust and collaborative problem-solving. This results in a more resilient and effective supply chain, less prone to breakdowns and conflicts.

Winning over Institutional Investors: Not Just Numbers

For institutional investors, the appeal of a company often extends beyond profit and loss statements. Effective internal communication, robust governance, and workforce stability are subtle yet significant indicators of long-term success. Organisational psychotherapy can help refine these attributes, making the organisation more attractive to seasoned investors.

Navigating Regulatory Relations: Beyond the Checklist

Dealing with regulators need not be a grim face-off between rule-makers and rule-followers. Organisations that have undergone psychotherapy are often better at communicating not just internally, but externally as well. This can lead to more transparent and constructive dialogues with regulatory bodies, perhaps even influencing the regulatory landscape positively over time.

Revisiting Keiretsu

As promised, let’s briefly loop back to the Keiretsu model. In such interlinked business networks, the positive internal changes from organisational psychotherapy can quickly multiply, influencing not just one organisation but several interconnected ones. The healthier each organisation, the more robust the network becomes. So while the main focus here is on individual organisations, one can’t ignore the potential for wider impact in models like Keiretsu.

Concluding Thoughts: Wider Ripples

The transformation brought about by organisational psychotherapy isn’t confined within the four walls of an office building. It radiates outward, touching various aspects of business relationships, from customers and suppliers to investors and regulators. And, as our Keiretsu aside illustrates, in certain business models, this ripple effect can even have wider systemic impacts. So, in the ever-connected world of business, looking inward might just be the first step in understanding the grander scheme of things.