Conceptualisation of the systemic organisational constellation method and a procedure for its application in coaching

ABSTRACT

Systemic constellations are widely used in organisational coaching and consulting to provide a systemic perspective on organisations and teams. However, the method is derived from practical experience and lacks definitional and procedural clarity, which could lead to ineffective application and could hamper quality monitoring and scientific evaluation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conceptualise the systemic organisational constellation method by developing a shared definition and delivering a procedure for its application. The methodology comprised two parts. First, a clear definition and outline of a procedure for applying the systemic organisational constellation method were formulated through a comprehensive review of the academic literature. Second, this definition and procedure were evaluated using inputs provided by 273 professionals who have used this method. We implemented an online survey between December 2020 and June 2021 to evaluate the definition and procedure, which was subsequently adjusted considering the respondents’ suggestions. The shared definition and procedure resulting from this study may enhance the quality and effectiveness of the method’s implementation, and may clear the way for evidence-based practice.

KEYWORDS:

• systemic intervention
• systemic organisational constellation
• team coaching
• organisational transformation
• organisational coaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Salome Scholtens

Salome Scholtens (Ph.D.) is a senior researcher, trainer and programme manager at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), the Netherlands. She is a qualified university teacher and epidemiologist, with expertise in system dynamics within organisations and systemic coaching.

Lisa Kiltz

Lisa Kiltz is doing her Ph.D. at the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Her interests lie in health psychology and resilience research. She combines this with systemic thinking, acquired through further training in systemic therapy that she is currently finishing at the WISL institute in Germany.

Hedwig Boer

Hedwig Boer is an academic teacher at the Department of Health Sciences, Section Health Psychology at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands. She is a social psychologist related to SCOPE (www.rug.nl/scope) with an interest in organisational psychology and systemic work.

Barna Konkolÿ Thege

Barna Konkolÿ Thege (Ph.D.) is a researcher and clinical psychologist at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care and an assistant professor at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. His main research interests include addictology, psychometrics, behavioural medicine and the effectiveness of systemic therapies.

Joke Fleer

Joke Fleer (Ph.D.) is an adjunct professor at the Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). She is a health psychologist, the principal educator at the Faculty of Medicine and head of the SCOPE Expertise Center for Personal Development at the UMCG (www.rug.nl/scope).