Positive intention  by Peter Freeth

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Every behaviour has a positive intention.

Positive doesn’t necessarily mean good or morally acceptable. It simply means that every behaviour is motivated by an intention to achieve something. So, in this Belief we have two meanings. Firstly, people don’t waste energy for no reason. Secondly, people take action to get things, not to lose them. When people lose things it’s a side effect – an accident. It’s not the original intention.

Sometimes, a person may alternate between different patterns of behaviour, as if one part gains control, then another, then another. This is a very useful analogy for what happens when people try and fail to give up smoking or lose weight. Smoking has advantages, otherwise the person would never have started. Therefore, if the person gives up smoking those advantages will be lost.

If the person doesn't consider this, there will be a constant battle between the parts that benefit from different aspects of smoking or not smoking. A common side effect of smoking is state control, so people smoke to calm their nerves. If this person gives up smoking, how will they control their emotional state? In a therapeutic context, this is known as secondary gain.

In an organisational context, I've heard it called all sorts of names but it really comes down to the same thing - that habits or situations that we call "bad" and want to avoid have some positive benefits too. As a species, we can easily adapt to exploit these positive benefits, making it much harder to avoid the "bad" situation.

When these parts communicate effectively with each other or with some central control part, the person will be aware of all of their conflicting needs and will manage their time and resources effectively. Good dieters can manage their meals and still allow themselves treats. Organisations that have effective internal communication tend not to have much internal conflict. When parts are not in communication with each other, problems arise because each part adopts behaviour which satisfies its own needs. Poor dieters will fast for a while then go and indulge themselves, leading to another fast. Self employed consultants describe a 'feast and famine' market situation because they do not communicate with each other about the real, ongoing state of the market.

Companies with poor internal communication generate conflicting information and appear to be badly coordinated. This is not malicious or intentional - it is simply the most reasonable way for each part to act when it has no or limited communication with other parts.

A part that is unaware of its relationship to other parts can only act in its own self interest.


Peter Freeth is a leading business coach, author and trainer.

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