PSY FPX 8730 Assessment 1 Developing an Adaptable Workplace Culture

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 8730 Consultation Psychology

Prof. Name:

Date

Case Study

Overview

Levine Law Offices is a law firm that specializes in workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. The head attorney is also the business owner. The firm consists of three other attorneys, six paralegals, an office manager, and ten administrative staff members. Darryl Levine, the owner of Levine Law Offices, believes that the organizational culture requires change. He has observed that employees react negatively to technological upgrades within the office. Additionally, both the paralegals and attorneys show a weak attitude toward social media marketing strategies, despite marketing being the primary method of attracting clients (Meehan, 2016).

Mr. Levine hopes to see a change in the employees’ attitudes, fostering a more adaptable organizational culture where they can be flexible and open to change. Given the increasingly globalized world (Meehan, 2016), it is crucial that the employees learn to embrace change to sustain a productive work environment.

Future-State Vision

Levine Law Offices aims to offer faster service to clients as employees will be trained to effectively use new technology and adapt positively to organizational changes.

Key Players and Roles

Role	Responsibilities
Owner/Operator	Lead the team, establish the vision, and guide the change.
Office Manager	Oversee training implementation and evaluate progress.
Employees: Paralegals, Attorneys, Administrative Staff	Participate in technology training, provide feedback, and set measurable goals.
Partners/Investors/Clients	Receive excellent service, meet their needs, and offer feedback.

Key People Consultation Theories

Five major consultation psychology theories are relevant:

Positive Psychology
Systems Theory
Adlerian Theory
Cognitive-Behavioral Theory
Gestalt Theory

Positive Psychology

Three main focuses:

A balanced focus on strengths and weaknesses.
A focus on promoting positive aspects of life alongside addressing negative issues.
Nurturing talent while helping ordinary individuals maintain fulfilling lives, beyond just treating pathology.

Key concepts include:

i. Positive Emotion
ii. Engagement
iii. Relationships
iv. Meaning
v. Accomplishments

Systems Theory

Key Concepts:

Open Systems
Holism
Interdependence
Equifinality
Feedback
Entropy

Systems Theory offers adaptive systems and learning organizations to balance energy, resources, and information to maintain homeostasis (Gantt, 2013).

Adlerian Theory

Key Concepts:

Building close friendships
Developing intimacy in relationships
Contributing to society

The primary objectives of Adlerian Therapy include:

Teaching
Guiding
Encouraging

Cognitive-Behavioral Theory

Cognitive-Behavioral Theory combines cognitive and behavioral perspectives to form therapeutic strategies. It integrates cognitive and behavioral approaches to better understand the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Gestalt Theory

The Gestalt Theory emphasizes perceptual organization through:

Similarity
Proximity
Continuity
Figure and ground
Closure

Important aspects of Gestalt Theory include awareness, dialogue, and the integration of previous knowledge, which ensures employees feel confident with new information.

Conclusion

Implementing the Strategic Plan involves:

Transparency
Engagement
Specific, actionable steps
Attainable goals

Desired Outcomes:

Employees who are flexible and open to change
Technologically proficient staff
A more efficient organization
Positive and timely client engagement

References

Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. (n.d.). What is cognitive behavior therapy? Retrieved from http://www.abct.org/Help/?m=mFindHelp&fa;=WhatIsCBTpublic

Bay, S. (2018). Workplace technology will change the law office of the future. American Bar Association. Retrieved from https://www.lawpracticetoday.org/article/workplace-technology-will-change-law-office-future/

Chagnon, R. J. (2014). Coaching for Resilience: A Practical Guide to Using Positive Psychology. Personnel Psychology, 67(4), 981–984. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1111/peps.12088

Chidiac, M. (2013). An organisational change approach based on gestalt psychotherapy theory and practice. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 26(3), 458–474. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534811311328533

Claes, C. (2016). What, why, who, and how to? Describe the vision of the future state. LinkedIn. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-why-who-how-describe-vision-future-state-chantal-claes-ccmp/

PSY FPX 8730 Assessment 1 Developing an Adaptable Workplace Culture

Crane, J. M., & Brown, C. J. (2003). Effectiveness of teaching play therapy attitudes and skills to undergraduate human services majors. International Journal of Play Therapy, 12(2), 49–65. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1037/h0088878

Foster, S. L., & Lloyd, P. J. (2007). Positive psychology principles applied to consulting psychology at the individual and group level. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 59(1), 30–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1065-9293.59

Gantt, S. P. (2013). Applying systems-centered theory (SCT) and methods in organizational contexts: Putting SCT to work. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 63(2), 234–258. https://doi.org/10.1521/ijgp.2013.63.2.234

Meehan, M. (2016). The top trends shaping business for 2017. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/marymeehan/2016/12/15/the-top-trends-shaping-business-for-2017/#43bfb4f6a8a2

Mohe, M., & Seidl, D. (2011). Theorising the client–consultant relationship from the perspective of social-systems theory. Organization Studies, 18(1), 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508409353834