Personal self-realization is a special process of interaction with the world, which is carried out through creative self-disclosure. Each person feels the presence of an all-encompassing force in himself, which is able to elevate him to the heights of great achievements, to make every day incredibly fulfilling and meaningful. Personal self-realization is something that cannot be dispensed with when it comes to the formation of a deep and holistic view of the world and current events. If we do not use the potential of huge opportunities that we have, then it will be wasted. And how many people never use the knowledge they actually have! Most get used to living simply by inertia and do not strive for anything significant.

At present, the topic of "self-realization of the individual" has become extremely fashionable. This is a direction in psychology at the moment, which is developing rapidly. The consciousness of some people is awakening from many years of "hibernation". They begin to see the truth little by little, to realize the existing personal perspectives.

The need for self-realization

Even if a person looks rather indecisive, he still has some desires that ask for freedom. Everyone has personal ambitions to one degree or another. It's just that not everyone has the courage to express them openly, without concealment. Many are afraid of being ridiculed by others, so they hide their true intentions under the guise of indifferent friendliness. Personal self-realization is the need to be heard, understood and accepted by society. Social interaction is also very important for a person. We all strive to find our place in life, to express ourselves as much as possible, to achieve significant success.

The need for self-realization can be most clearly seen in young children. They have not yet found a reason to doubt themselves and do not reject their plans. Children do not know how to lie, but behave naturally, being in any situation. It would not occur to them to portray joy when the soul is sad and gloomy. Personal self-realization is its primary need, without which no formation will be possible.

Having a goal

To come to something significant, you need to understand where to go. Each one sets his own direction. First, an image of a big and bright dream appears in my head. You can see how much children and teenagers believe in it. The presence of a goal helps to develop the character, such personal qualities as ambition, perseverance, self-confidence, initiative. Thoughts about the embodiment of the desired into life do not allow you to stand still and passively contemplate the ongoing phenomena. A dream always leads, makes a person develop and improve in all aspects. If he does not know where and what to direct his efforts, then he will never be able to feel truly happy.

How are self-determination and self-realization of a person related to each other? Before you start any movement forward, you need to be able to clearly understand what you are really interested in and what your strengths are. Everyone has a different nature, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that people have different aspirations. The ability to correctly set a goal is the greatest blessing.

Faith in one's own abilities

Without this component, there will be nothing. Only faith makes us move forward even when other landmarks are lost. Before starting to act in the direction of the intended goal, a person needs to know that he is able to achieve it. That is why people so often refuse to implement their plans before they even take the first step. They simply do not believe in themselves, they consider them unworthy of all kinds of awards and gifts from fate! Self-determination, self-realization of the individual occupy a leading position in the process of effective progress.

When there is no faith in success, nothing can happen. A person draws inner strength from his own source of inspiration. When it is empty, bright ideas do not visit the head, life seems gray and meaningless.

Problems of self-realization

Despite the rather strong popularity of this topic, not every person seeks to find his own destiny. Most, unfortunately, prefer to just go with the flow, in fact, not trying to change anything in life, to bring new colors to it. We must always remember that we ourselves create bright moments for ourselves, and dark ones need to be able to experience and let go. Activity, personality, self-realization - things that are inextricably linked with each other. Without one, there will be no other. If you have no idea what you should be doing, then you will not appreciate the opportunity to express yourself, to reveal your true nature.

Another problem with self-realization is that when you act, you will inevitably have difficulties. Without this, the formation of a strong personality does not occur. Sometimes it seems that a person was specially decided to test the strength of higher powers. The world must make sure that you are worthy of the best goods and therefore, as if testing the reaction. In the most difficult moments, it is worth remembering that they are temporary and, most likely, meant for something. Thus, you are preparing to become self-sufficient, you begin to appreciate yourself like never before. Many give up after going half way. Some, after taking a few timid steps, indecisively turn back. They perceive difficulties as something fatal, they spend precious ones on experiences. Remember that you should not let sadness stun you at the moment when you are taking active steps towards the realization of your cherished dream. Only the true winner can reach the end.

Conditions for self-realization

In order for a person to be able to use his abilities as much as possible in life, it is necessary to observe some important points. It is worth noting that all components are closely related to each other. You can't grow one thing and completely ignore the other. The conditions for self-realization of personality are simple and complex at the same time. The most important, perhaps, is the inner mood. If the goal is set clearly enough, then the desired will come into your life faster than you expect. It will happen so naturally and calmly that not everyone will be able to recognize happiness. Creating conditions for self-realization of the individual allows you to successfully come to the desired activity and begin to develop it.

Intrapersonal search

It begins when the individual begins to ask himself questions about self-determination. Who am I and what should I do in life? How to start doing what you love if you don’t have the strength and opportunity to at least try and leave your unloved job? Such questions encourage action, pushing for a deep understanding of current events. The intrapersonal search can continue for several years, until the person makes a final decision for himself. Here you can not rush or limit yourself in the choice. You need to be able to listen to your own voice, to notice the slightest changes in consciousness.

Freedom as the main engine

Our whole life consists of a constant as a condition for the self-realization of the individual occupies a leading position. After all, if a person does not have the opportunity to fully express himself, he will never become what he should be. Lack of will always appears as a result of refusal to take responsibility for what is happening. It's like committing a betrayal in relation to the closest person, which is what you are.

Freedom as a self-realization of a person arises at the moment when a person begins to vividly realize his belonging to something. He feels a great surge of strength in himself and no longer wants to live as before. At this moment, it is important, having enlisted your own support, to start taking the first steps. The more confidence you have, the easier it will be to continue what you started.

Freedom as a condition for the self-realization of the individual is essential for a successful start. If a person gets used to living in exhausting, then he begins to be afraid of any changes. Uniformity seems to him synonymous with stability. He is afraid of any movement, because any experiment can end in failure. Not everyone has additional strength in order to be able to survive all the “tests” of fate for strength.

Opportunity Potential

There are great prospects hidden in each of us. Most people are not even aware of it. Continuing to live an ordinary inconspicuous life, they do not have the opportunity to get the precious experience of getting to know their own inner world. If we could only measure our richest potential with something, we would certainly be surprised. How many closed doors would open at once! So why is fear so crippling that it prevents you from taking action, setting realistic daily goals, and striving for a true state of happiness?

Think about what you spend your life on. Do you sit for many hours in a row playing computer games? Are you looking to develop? Do you know what is your top priority? You should never give up your dreams and exchange them for dubious pleasures.

Choice of profession

Sometimes we stop at one option only because it was advised by parents or friends. A person in rare cases, by the time he graduates from school, really clearly understands what he wants to do until retirement. To be responsible for the rest of your life, you need to take on a lot of responsibility. Often we make this choice chaotically, succumbing to someone's persuasion. And all because we do not know how to listen to ourselves, we do not appreciate our own talents, we are constantly in self-criticism!

Meanwhile, choosing a profession is a rather serious decision to be neglected. Before directing your efforts to the development of a particular activity, you need to think carefully. When a decision has not yet been finalized, it is easy to change it. Ask yourself several times a day, is the chosen profession really right for you, do you dream of something more?

Creative focus

The creative principle is inherent in each of us. To find your only true path, pay attention to creativity. The ability to write texts, music or pictures should inspire the career of a famous writer, artist, thinker. Any ability needs to be developed. No one else will take over your life.

Social self-realization

Man lives in society and can never achieve complete freedom from it. Social self-realization of the individual is to be able to build strong trusting relationships with other people.

Spiritual practices

Activities such as meditation, yoga or relaxation will help maintain a state of inner balance. If something is wrong in your life, support yourself. Strength for an active life will increase noticeably.

Instead of a conclusion

Thus, self-realization is the most important need of the individual. On how productively the individual will pass the stage of self-determination, his whole future life depends. Only a person who has fully revealed his inner nature can become happy.

In a general sense, self-realization of a personality is an activity inherent in psychologically mature people who are unique in their own way and have their own individuality. Of course, the duration of life is determined by higher forces, but the depth and breadth of the life path depend only on the individual. The problem of self-realization is quite common. How to find oneself in society, what factors are necessary for the successful realization of oneself as a successful and harmonious personality.

What is self-realization of personality

Personal self-realization is the ability to go through the path of self-knowledge and accept yourself, find your own niche and fully reveal your abilities, unleash your full potential and enjoy every act and.

Many psychologists note that the problem of self-realization requires a comprehensive study and professional solution. In modern life, two categories of people are often found:

• the first category has been engaged for many years, but plunges into the raging ocean of life without realizing unique opportunities and talents;
• the second category does not attempt to reveal itself without thinking about what self-realization is and lives the allotted years in vain.

Another example is the termination of funding for a successful scientific project. In this regard, the professional self-realization of a scientist is impossible.

Every woman experiences the need for self-realization as a mother. The impossibility of realizing one's direct purpose against the background of constant loneliness is transformed into alcohol addiction.

Basic conditions for personal self-realization

Salvatore Madde, professor of the school of social ecology, in his writings identified the factors that contribute to the self-realization of the individual.

• Freedom as a condition for the self-realization of the individual.
• Feeling of absolute control over your own life.
• Ability to adapt to living conditions.
• Spontaneity in decision making.
• The presence of creative potential.

It is important! One thing is obvious - a full-fledged, successful social and creative self-realization of a person is possible only if there is self-confidence and determination. Only under the condition of a certain passion for life, diligence and understanding the goal you can become
.

Driving forces of self-realization

Creative self-realization

Creative self-realization of the individual involves the successful use of talents. In this case, it is not only about art, but also about scientific activity. For creative individuals, it is vital to create a masterpiece in art, to make a scientific discovery. These lofty aspirations become a motivation for the creative self-realization of one's talent.

It is important! Psychologists single out self-realization for a woman, which, as a rule, is interpreted by the destiny laid down by nature - to find love, create a family, give birth to a child and raise him.

1. First of all, you need to competently and realistically assess your own talents and abilities. To do this, psychologists recommend taking a sheet of paper, creating a calm, relaxing environment and writing down the qualities and hobbies that need to be worked on.
2. Honestly and impartially write down all the traits of your character, regardless of how much they are valued by society.
3. List all the activities in which you would like to realize yourself. Think about your dreams, what you wanted to do as a child. As psychologists say, children's dreams reflect the true personality of a person. Opposite each activity, write down the necessary ones that will help you succeed. After all, only in the self-realization of the individual.
4. Compare the lists and in this way, you will see which type of activity suits you best. At first glance, this method is only suitable for teenagers who have not decided on a profession. However, according to statistics, the majority of adults are not satisfied with their work and would like to change the type of activity. Such dissatisfaction is dictated, first of all, by the inability to correctly identify one's talents and set life priorities.
5. Many mistakenly believe that it is possible to realize oneself only in professional activities. However, this is a common misconception. It is necessary to abstract from traditional views and evaluate yourself comprehensively. It is possible that a person will be able to prove himself during the holidays or while doing his favorite hobby. The main thing is that the process gives pleasure - this is the main sign that the strategy of self-realization is chosen correctly and is successful.

Watch the video - an expert's opinion on the self-realization of the individual and the search for a worthy goal in life.

SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS

1. Why is the question about the essence of a person formulated “What is a person?”, And not “Who is a person?”

The question of the essence of man is formulated in this way in order to emphasize the philosophical aspect of the problem. The German philosopher I. Fichte (1762 - 1814) believed that the concept of "man" does not refer to a single person, but only to the genus: it is impossible to analyze the properties of an individual person, taken by himself, outside of relations with other people, i.e. outside society.

2. What is the essence of a person as a “culture-creating” being manifested in?

The essence of man as a “culture-creating” being is manifested in the fact that man is the bearer and creator of culture. Culture is oriented towards the humanistic self-realization of a person, his creative self-expression. Man himself actively influences the environment and, as a result, forms not only the history of society, but also himself.

3. What are the main (essential) distinguishing features that characterize a person as a social being?

Man, as a social being, has:

Highly organized brain;

Thinking;

articulate speech;

The ability to create tools of labor and transform the conditions of one's existence;

The ability to creatively modify the world around, to create cultural values;

Ability to self-knowledge and self-development;

The ability to develop spiritual guidelines for one's own life.

4. How does self-realization reveal the social qualities of a person?

Self-realization is the process of the most complete realization by the individual of his capabilities, the achievement of the intended goals in solving personally significant problems, which makes it possible to fully realize the creative potential of the individual.

The American scientist A. Maslow (1908 - 1970) attributed the need for self-realization to the highest human needs. He defined it as the most complete use of talents, abilities, opportunities; this need is realized through the purposeful influence of the individual on himself. The ability of the individual to self-realization is a synthesis of abilities for purposeful, personally significant activity, in the process of which the individual reveals his potential to the maximum.

TASKS

1. How do you understand the meaning of the judgment of the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus: “What am I? Human. If I look at myself as an object separate and independent from other objects, then it follows that I live long, that I be rich, happy, healthy; but if I look at myself as a person, as a part of a whole, then it may sometimes happen that in relation to this whole I must submit to illness, want, or even perish an untimely death. What right have I to complain in such a case? Don't I know that by complaining I cease to be human, just as the leg ceases to be an organ of the body when it refuses to walk?

In this judgment, the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus shows us the duality of the structure of man, namely his social and biological essence.

The ability to think, to create something new in the course of one's life, although it distinguishes a person in relation to animals, however, does not separate him from nature.

Man is part of both society and nature.

2. What is the philosophical meaning of the statement of the Russian biologist I. I. Mechnikov: “A gardener or cattle breeder does not stop before the given nature of the plants or animals that occupy them, but modify them according to need. In the same way, a scientist-philosopher should not look at modern human nature as something unshakable, but should change it for the good of people”? What is your attitude to this point of view?

Today, man himself modifies nature, and in the recent past, man himself had to adapt to nature. Today we see that the development of economic activity has become one of the most important factors that affect the development of nature. But the environmental problems of the Earth are obvious, people began to think about the need to foresee the consequences of such changes and try to prevent them as soon as possible. Thus, man must change nature, but not to the detriment of nature.

SELF-REALIZATION OF THE PERSON

Each individual is unique in their own way. The life path of a single person can never be repeated. But if the length of our life is destined from above, then its width depends only on us. And here many people have a problem and it lies in the self-realization of a person as a person. Some manage to find their niche, others spend their whole lives searching, and still others live their best years in vain. How to find yourself and reach your full potential? We will talk about this now.

Psychology of self-realization of personality. Self-realization is not only a process of personal development and self-knowledge. It is also the result of constant growth and work with internal potential. About people who were able to realize their internal resources, they usually say that they took place in life. However, for this to happen, a person must constantly develop. The psychological problems of self-realization of a person lie in the discrepancy between the energy and intellectual potential of a person and the degree of its actualization. In other words, due to various life circumstances, the true potential of a person may not coincide with the final result of his activity. This often leads to a feeling of dissatisfaction with one's own life. Despite this, the need for self-realization persists in every individual, and this phenomenon has been studied by leading psychologists of the world for a long time.

In his research, S.L. Rubinstein came to the conclusion that motives are the main mechanism of personality formation. They manifest themselves in the thoughts and actions of a person. If, for example, a person takes responsibility, courage in making decisions and works with his fears, then later these actions will take root in his mind in the form of certain character traits. As a result, all new properties will be connected into a single system, with the help of which a person will be able, or vice versa, will not be able to reveal himself.

K. Rogers distinguished two types of personality:

• - fully functioning;
• - unadapted.

However, his other colleague S. Maddy compared several personality theories and took the following characteristics of a full-fledged person as a basis in his research:

• - creativity - without it, the life realization of the individual is impossible;
• - the principle of "here and now" - includes the mobility of the individual, its high adaptability and spontaneity in decision-making;
• - freedom of action in all life situations - a feeling of control over your life.

Strategies for self-realization of the individual.

Self-realization is a process that lasts throughout a person's life. It becomes possible only when the person himself is aware of his abilities, interests and needs.

In other words, the whole life of a person is built on a chain of actions aimed at self-realization and the achievement of life goals. To take place in life, it is important to make efforts that consist of certain strategies.

The implementation of these strategies is the main condition for the self-realization of the individual.

With a change in the age of a person, his needs change, which means that goals and life strategies also change.

For example, in adolescence, a person begins to be determined in the choice of professional activity, and many at first begin to solve personal life issues.

When the first stage of self-realization is reached and a person has got a family and a profession, the correction and modification of strategies begins. When the need to find a position goes away, adaptation to this position, environment, etc. begins.

As for the family, something similar happens there. Strategies are chosen by the individual, taking into account age, character and needs.

Although it is not uncommon for the “here and now” principle to work, when a person does not have time to think or the benefit of the action that has turned up is obvious.

Ways of self-realization of personality. A reasonable question arises - what are the ways of self-realization of the individual? What tools does a person use to achieve social recognition and take his place in life?

In fact, everything is quite simple. Every day we reveal ourselves in work, in hobbies and hobbies, and recently a new way of self-realization has appeared - the global network and the global information space. However, the main and main means through which the entire potential of a person passes is creativity. Psychologists believe that only creative activity can lead a person to above-normal activity without pursuing any specific goal. In other words, creativity is a voluntary activity, for which a person is ready to spend all his strength in order to show himself and his abilities. But what motivates a person for a long and painstaking work on himself? These are, as a rule, well-known and universal values, needs and mechanisms:

• - the need for respect and recognition in the group;
• - the need for the development of intelligence;
• - the desire to have a family and offspring;
• - the desire to achieve success in sports or just become strong and healthy;
• - the need for a prestigious profession and work with good earnings; personality psychology self-development
• - the desire to constantly improve themselves and their abilities;
• - the desire to take a worthy place in life and in society;
• - the desire to get rid of bad habits and raise the level of requirements for oneself.

As you can see, the driving forces of self-realization of the individual are quite simple. But only when a person has already been able to achieve and satisfy more than half of these motives, we can say that he is a full-fledged personality. And this means that the process of self-realization can go to infinity.

Human ideals are priceless, but striving for them is a thousand times more valuable.

§ 18.1. THE CONCEPT OF SELF-REALIZATION

Self-realization is the realization of the individual and personal capabilities of the "I" through one's own efforts, as well as cooperation with other people. Self-realization is activated in relation to those traits, properties and qualities of a person that are rationally and morally acceptable and supported by society. At the same time, a person is what he makes himself, as far as he feels himself. Self-realization is an attribute of the very existence of man.

Consequently, the social system, historical circumstances, natural and ecological conditions, the social environment and even chance determine the manifestation of human activity. However, a person can realize his “selfhood”, because he is able to realize his value, rise above circumstances, have plans and goals for activity, take into account the real situation and long-term consequences. The criterion of self-realization, which is included in the evaluation system of the mental activity of each person, reflects the satisfaction of society with a person and the satisfaction of a person with social conditions. Consequently, the effectiveness of self-realization will depend not only on real external conditions, but also on how a person understands and evaluates them in relation to himself. This understanding and assessment are conditioned by knowledge and practical experience, personal characteristics and social skills.

Self-realization plays a crucial role in the entire life path of the individual, in fact, determining it. The prerequisites for self-realization are laid down in the very nature of a person and exist as inclinations, which, with the development of a person, with the formation of his personal properties, become the basis of the ability for self-realization. The image of the world also changes throughout a person's life. It should become more and more complete and adequate. However, the condition for successful self-realization is a dynamic functional unity, where the image of the world and the image of the "I" are balanced, as it were, through an adequate understanding of one's place in the world and the use of adequate social skills. With certain violations of this balance, a person has to look for conditionally compensatory ways by the type of psychological protection in order to solve the problems of self-realization.

§ 18.2. STRENGTH OF "I" AND SELF-RESPECT

Self-respect is the central link and motive of the self-concept. The self-concept is the core of the personality, an important part of a person's self-consciousness. It includes unconscious representations that are consistent, should not contradict the conscious properties. I-concept– stable, internally consistent and consistent, fixed in verbal definitions, a person's idea of ​​himself. It performs important functions in a person's life: it ensures the internal consistency of a person's knowledge of himself, contributes to the interpretation and motivation of new experience, and is a source of expectation of certain actions in relation to himself. The term "I" is ambiguous. It includes bodily feeling, body image; self-identity (“I” is a continuing integrity); extension (“I” are my thoughts, and my things, and my group, and my religion, etc.), being a reference point (egocentrism), etc. Our “I” has spatial and temporal features as point between past and future.

An important point is the concept of the power of "I", which was introduced by another 3. Freud. The strength of the "I" is a measure of personal freedom from feelings of guilt, rigidity, anxiety. When we speak of a strong character, we mean first of all the strong will of this person; when we talk about a strong personality, we mean a strong "I", a person's ability for self-organization and self-realization, mental endurance and self-esteem, as well as great social potential.

There are 6 indicators of the strength of "I". Let's call them: it is tolerance to external threats, psychological discomfort; freedom from panic; struggle with guilt (the ability to compromise); the ability to effectively suppress unacceptable impulses; balance of rigidity and compliance; control and planning; adequate self respect. A weak "I" implies a strong development of psychological defense, which increases the inadequacy of the perception of the environment and the behavior of the individual.

Self respect. Self-esteem is a generalized characteristic that develops in early childhood and is difficult to change. Self-respect is synonymous in everyday speech as self-esteem. The level of self-esteem is reflected in the prevailing motivation.

T. Shibutani shows the connection between the desire for power and low self-esteem. Adequate self-esteem implies a small and well-regulated sense of guilt, independence from other people's assessments.

The lower the self-esteem, the more intolerant a person is towards criticism, humor.

W. James proposed a psychological "formula":

Self-esteem determines the adequacy of a person in the world around him. Low self-esteem entails for the individual inadequacy in areas that are significant for him, a tendency to self-deception, fear of the truth, the dominance of self-affirmation motivation and the high development of many forms of psychological defense. Self-respect determines the nature of relationships with others (for example, the more a person does not respect himself, the more he does not value and fear others, seeks to assert himself by belittling his partners).

Low self-esteem can manifest itself as a feeling of low value, hide behind self-confidence and bravado, result in a constant underestimation of one's capabilities, self-abasement. These people, as a rule, do not adequately evaluate others: they are waiting for aggressive actions or praise.

The adequacy of self-esteem and self-esteem depends on upbringing in early childhood. If a child is perceived as a property, he has a feeling of low value. The absence of an emotional, warm atmosphere in the family, the predominance of harsh measures of influence, the authoritarian and despotism of parents, and much more affect. Low self-esteem requires a lot of energy for psychological defense. Such children often develop a psychology of self-flagellation, constant psychological discomfort, complexes (but they can get rid of); usually there is shyness, fear of mistakes, strong self-control, lack of spontaneity.

Ways to compensate for low self-esteem are different. You can lower the level of claims. For other people, this results in an escape from themselves, their problems and difficulties (that is, various forms of psychological protection are formed). A more worthy way is to change your attitude to the situation and change your behavior, reduce the level of claims to your capabilities.

People with low self-esteem develop a large internal distance from other people. Often they experience hobbies and passion, which are quickly replaced by fears, anxiety, suspicion, an indispensable fear of losing a loved one, jealousy. These conflicting feelings are explained by self-doubt, a painful feeling of low value, which makes you demand constant proof of respect and love from your partner, and lead to an acute experience of loneliness and the inevitability of the formation of forms of psychological protection.

The term "protective mechanisms" in 1926 was proposed by 3. Freud. In his opinion, protection is a necessary condition for maintaining the stability of the personal structure in conditions of constant pathogenic conflict between different levels of self-consciousness.

In a broad sense, psychological protection– any (conscious or unconscious) method by which a person is protected from influences that threaten tension and lead to the disintegration of the personality.

Its general functions are the destruction of fear and the preservation of self-esteem.

A rather close psychological concept denoting stable and complex methods of psychological defense is complexes. Complexes - a highly emotionally colored set of features, images, ideas about one's own personality traits and appearance, which arose on the basis of disappointment, misfortune; expressed in the form of protective and compensatory behavior, corrected.

The most famous is the inferiority complex. It is present in other manifestations of experiencing one's (possibly only supposed) inferiority, for example, an old maid complex, a complex of poor people, a provincial complex, a complex of short stature, fullness and other physical defects, a complex of a loser or a complex of a low level of achievements, a sexual complex.

§ 18.3. LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL

To date, three independent theories have been formed that explain the origin and essence of leadership potential. They can be conditionally called the "great man" theory, "situational" theory, and the "defining role of followers" theory.

Combining the positive aspects of these leadership theories allows us to formulate the following definition. Leadership potential is a set of psychological qualities that correspond to the needs of the group and are most useful for resolving the problem situation in which this group has fallen. Absolute leaders - leaders everywhere and in everything - do not exist, as well as absolute "followers". A leader in business can be a follower in leisure and a scapegoat in family life. Moreover, in a certain field of activity, the assessment of the leadership potential of a particular person is not always unambiguous: the director of an enterprise can be a true leader for his deputies and shop supervisors, a formal leader from the point of view of middle management employees, and in the perception of workers, he can be a source of confusion and bureaucratic lawlessness (i.e., "anti-leader").

Leadership is leadership in stimulating, planning and organizing group activities. If we talk about groups of people, then behind the ability to lead are such integral characteristics as "disposition to danger", "management abilities" and high "personal activity".

By "attunement to danger" refers to the high efficiency of action in stress, as well as such qualities as sensitivity to potential danger and fearlessness.

Actions in stressful conditions that are most appropriate for the role of a true leader lie in his primacy in protecting the group, in organizing group actions, in attacking actions, in choosing the strategy and tactics of group behavior. Sensitivity to potential danger consists in the leader's ability to anticipate the possibility of stressful circumstances and options for their development. Fearlessness conditionally denotes the quality that allows the leader to withstand the threats directed at him for the longest time and recover faster after certain defeats.

The second most pronounced integral quality of a leader can be considered his managerial abilities. In their structure, the leading functions are the suppression of intra-group aggressiveness (conflicts) and the provision of support to weak members of the group, planning the group's upcoming actions.

In third place is the high personal activity of the leader, which includes a fairly wide range of private manifestations - from initiative and contact to physical mobility and a tendency to form temporary alliances with different members of the group.

Particular manifestations of leadership potential are the high speed of orientation in the environment, the clarity and scale of the vision of a positive future for the group, the perception of the group as part of one's own "I". The scale of the goals generated by the potential leader inevitably prompts him to search for "his" group.

Each person can develop and improve the leadership potential inherent in him. The ability to lead increases significantly as you grow older and acquire professional skills and a variety of life experiences. The main difficulty here is to determine the scope of activities for the best application of their forces.

A particular way of developing leadership potential is the conscious practice of such behavioral techniques that others involuntarily perceive as leadership. This includes well-observed elements of appearance, posture, facial expressions, gestures and speech: the absence of pretentious, deliberately “beautiful” elements of appearance design, the maximum possible perceived body size (straight posture and head position, turned shoulders, high-soled shoes, etc. .), smoothness and some slowness of movements and gestures (with the exception of situations that require adequate manifestations of activity and aggressiveness), asymmetric gestures of the right and left hands, a direct long-term fixed look at the opponent, measured and concise speech, low timbre of the voice, moderation in the manifestation of external physiological reactions.

§ 18.4. IMAGE IN THE FORMATION OF LEADERSHIP

Since ancient times, famous commanders and rulers have tried to perpetuate their image, the power of the state and achievements in the field of politics. In ancient Rome, the ruler is a sacred figure, the bearer of unlimited power based on the customs of the ancestors. In ancient Egypt, the king was associated with a lion, a symbol of power and strength. The head of the king was decorated with rich attire. In Russia, princely dignity was emphasized by a koch - a mantle, a hood - a hat. The symbols of royal power were the eagle and the lion. External paraphernalia of royal power was used: a throne, a crown, a scepter. Our ancestors strove to identify greatness with a visual image, shaping the appearance and using rituals of behavior.

In ancient Greece, knowledge of three areas of the face was used to create an image: from the hairline to the eyebrows, from the eyebrows to the tip of the nose, from the tip of the nose to the chin. With the help of special make-up, faces received different characters: the top of the face - the spiritual essence of a person, the middle of the face - life, the bottom of the face - erotica, grotesque, eccentricity.

The most famous Niccolò Machiavelli described the qualities that a leader should show when making recommendations for statesmen.

Currently, studies of the image of leadership behavior are becoming relevant in connection with the practical significance of rationalization and management efficiency, especially in the highest echelons of political and economic power.

The rapid development of such industries as political psychology, PR activities, commercial and political advertising, management psychology requires knowledge about the psychological characteristics of leadership, especially its external manifestations. The experience of conducting political campaigns, presentations of business leaders testifies to the emergence of such professionals as an image consultant. Image makers use the richest material accumulated in psychological studies of behavior, historical and memoir literature about outstanding commanders and rulers.

Creating an image is a problem of our time, due to the rapid development of high technologies, the complication of the management sphere, an overabundance of information, and the rapid change of events. Modern society is immersed in the information environment, where communication processes are leading. It is difficult to distinguish between reality and symbolic representation. Sources of power and influence are new information technologies and mass media that change consciousness. The image is a natural product of processing large amounts of information. The image becomes a label, a sign, a symbol.

The concept of "image" was introduced into scientific psychology by Gustave Le Bon and Walter Lippmann. Usually, in the most general sense, the image is understood as the image of a person. The concept of "image of a leader" is actively used in PR, political and commercial advertising, in the modern direction of "imageology". Currently, there is a wide variety in the interpretation of the image. Some researchers in the field of PR, such as Sam Black, Edward Bernays, either do not use the concept of "image" or oppose it. Most PR practitioners recognize the importance of image to an organization or leader. In modern psychology, emphasis is placed on the need for scientific development of the leader's image. The image of a leader as a constructed image largely determines the influence and effectiveness of power. If you do not purposefully form the image of a leader, then it may turn out to be unpredictable. Such a situation is unacceptable during election campaigns. The following key problems of image formation are distinguished: - the psychological content of the concept of "image";

- what are the components of the image;

– ethical problems of using the image;

- image building technologies.

Leaders are born in a particular community. The main feature of the relationship between the leader and the group is the relationship of power. J. Blondol considered the key sign of leadership to be power. Power is potential, it is realized in influence. In psychology, influence is understood as a process in which the behavior of one or groups of people changes the state of other people. As a result of influence, knowledge (cognitive aspect) of feelings, values, motivation, attitudes, and behaviors change.

Influence is the psychological basis of leadership. Thus, the leader not only has potential power, but also constantly influences other people. Influence is always the interaction between the leader and the group. Moreover, the influence is asymmetrical, since the leader has a great opportunity to influence other people. There are two types of leadership: leadership "face to face" and "remote" leadership, that is, the political leadership of leaders who influence the masses. The leader's success is largely determined by the situation of communication: "face to face" or indirectly through the media. In this regard, researchers pay special attention to the features of the image. In direct communication, the audience interacts with a real person. In mediated communication, an intermediate element appears - the image of the leader. The leader acts in the field of changing the state of people. Power allows a person to maximize self-realization. Influence is considered from the point of view of socially determined norms of behavior and ethical criteria. The model of power action is described in terms of "goal-means-result-feedback". The goal is to satisfy the need, the means are various resources of influence on a person, the result is the state of the object of power, the feedback affects the subject of power - the leader, changing his actions. A special role in the implementation of power relations is played by externally observable characteristics of behavior, in connection with the problem of choosing means of influence. These include:

1) means of influence associated with the official role, position in society (role features, strength of custom);

2) personal influence: physical strength, charm, beauty, intelligence;

3) influence using speech. Depending on the choice of means of influence, the problem of the style of self-presentation, the construction of the public "I" is solved. At the same time, reliance is placed not on the life world of the leader, but on the life space of the group, where the archetype plays a special role; which is based on historically formed connections object - feeling - action. Thus, there is a generalized model of human interaction and understanding of another person. The starting point for describing people's behavior is an emotional criterion that generates the actual meaning.

The problem of the image is connected with the everyday experience of a person, the development of consciousness and self-awareness.

S. L. Rubinshtein, discussing the problem of human communication, noted that a person orients himself in the behavior of others in such a way that he “reads another person”, deciphers the meaning of his external data and reveals the meaning of his behavior. In the process of life, each person develops a certain, automatically functioning psychological mechanism for understanding other people.

According to psychological research, it is known that the choice of political orientation in all historical periods is made on the basis of a political concept only by a minority of people. For the majority, a personalized choice is characteristic. The perception and evaluation of the images of leaders replaces the work of comprehending the content of the political situation. Thus, only the emotional-sensory level of perception works.

In the studies of E. Yu. Artemyeva on the study of the subjective picture of the world, the leading role of the emotional and evaluative properties of an object in the process of its perception is clearly demonstrated, and the process of developing the meanings of human actions is described. The moment of “first vision”, the first impression, when the relation of the object to the subject (pleasant, dangerous) is formed, is an analogue of the individual unconscious. Personal meanings are identified with the collective unconscious, the archetype according to C. Jung.

The first impression is formed on the basis of the perception of words (content) - 7%, the characteristic features of the voice - 38%, appearance and non-verbal signals - 55%. Visual symbols lead in terms of impact efficiency. It is this feature of psychological influence that is used in the creation of information "for everyone", when almost all message options are trying to be rewritten into a visual form. The increase in the level of image reliability in the case of visual communication is explained based on the analysis of the patterns of the visual field. Visual communication codes are not rigid. This allows the observer to weave them into their own context, the image becomes natural. The image created on the basis of visual signals is stored in memory longer, it is more effective.

Using these data, it is possible to quite correctly form the image features of the leader in accordance with the expectations of the public.

The components of the leader's image are divided into the following groups of characteristics: 1) physical - age, gender, type of constitution, health, racial or national characteristics; 2) psychological - character traits, the course of mental processes, mental states; 3) social - the status of the leader, models of role behavior (these characteristics of the leader's image are quite mobile, as they depend on the current social situation and social norms); 4) characteristics of the leader's image as a symbol of ideology, an image of the proposed future (these features are stable, as they are associated with the cultural archetype, the archetype of the "leader-father", aggressive, altruistic).

Together, they represent a holistic image associated with a certain individuality. Each of these groups of characteristics makes a different contribution to the formation of the leader's personal power and lends itself to construction to varying degrees.

External manifestations of leadership qualities are associated with appearance design (clothes, shoes, hairstyle, cosmetics), appearance features (beauty or charm, physical strength, health, age), speech features (expressiveness, fluency, loudness, ease of speech, correctness of grammatical constructions, lexical peculiarities). In a special group of external signs of the image, non-verbal signals are distinguished. They are always situational, spontaneous and involuntary. The most significant for "reading" facial expressions, posture, gestures of the leader. The leader's face bears the maximum information load: mouth, eyebrows, face as a whole, spatial orientation of the head, gaze direction. Important is the location of the leader in space and the distance between the leader and the audience. These characteristics are closely related to the culture of a particular society. More often, leaders are located apart from the audience, at the top or in front, which is typical, in particular, of European culture. The distance and spatial arrangement of the leader testify to the attitude towards a particular person. With the help of these features, rituals of leadership behavior are formed. Speech features make it possible to judge the decisiveness, confidence, significance and accessibility of the leader. According to the results of the research, it was found that most often the leaders are men. The choice by age depends on the nature of the political situation in society - stable or unstable. In an unstable situation, as a rule, a young leader is chosen, which indicates the influence of the leadership archetype on the choice: strong, energetic, able to lead, active, healthy. In stable societies, older leaders stand a chance of being elected. Among the factors that ensure the effectiveness of power influence include charisma or personal charm. M. Weber described charismatic leaders as gifted with supernatural powers and properties. Lebon interpreted charisma based on the concept of "charm", "magnetic charm". Such leaders are able to inspire their ideas, feelings, infect the public with their own energy and emotions. The main weapon of charisma is the power of emotional expression. The appearance of charismatic leaders is usually associated with the crisis of the situation, which requires change. The main features of a charismatic leader are considered by researchers to be high energy potential, self-confidence, conviction in the significance of goals and accomplishments, expressiveness, external expressiveness, brilliant oratory, beauty, modeling of role behavior.

The existing developments of the image are mainly based on a specific situation, i.e., the reflected situation. Image is understood as a directed formation of a person's image, which is specially organized and structured. For this, mass media are used. Image technologists associate with everyday consciousness. It acts as a symbol in the form of visual and sound signals that are perceived at an emotional level, not reaching the level of logical constructions (meanings). So the image becomes available to the broad masses, as it affects the lower floors of the psyche. It is schematic and simplified. When creating an image, only certain aspects of the leader's personality are used. In the field of political activity, due to the mediation of communication between the leader and the public, it is much easier to create the required image.

A complete realistic image is an ideal condenser of time, a multi-valued phenomenon for the recipient, and presents only objective information. The image is filled with ethical (humanistic) and aesthetic (realistic) content. This is proved by studies of images in journalism and art.

To construct the image, a stereotype is used, which, like the image, is a product of a specific situation. The lifetime of a stereotype is limited by the lifetime of the situation. Image technologists usually use the stereotype to stimulate the primitive needs of people, thereby causing a simplistic vision of the situation. TV channels especially use stereotypes. A stereotype is associated with a specific idea of ​​a person. The leader is identified as "one's own" or "alien". The exploitation of the stereotype leads to the stimulation of primitive forms of perception: the eroticization of advertising, cinema, variety shows.

Image and stereotype can be effective only in specific situations. A change of situation destroys them, and suddenly it turns out that "the king is naked." Disappointment and disgust towards the leader sets in. Such examples can be observed after the end of the election campaign, if the leader does not care about developing his own image, loses charm, and then power. In the practice of consulting leaders, a system of stereotypes has been developed:

1) individual-personal (“weaker sex”, “real man”);

2) family (“the man is the head of the family”);

3) production (“real boss”);

4) social, class (“elite”, “strong man”);

5) state (Russia is a great power, the USA is a stronghold of democracy);

6) national (“lazy Russian”, “pedantic German”, “frivolous Frenchman”);

7) formational (information society, post-industrial society).

It must be remembered that the stereotype and image simplify real ideas and have the maximum social result. At the same time, a prerequisite is the preservation of the ethical principle of working with the image, non-compliance with which also leads to the defeat of the leader.

§ 18.5. COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

Communicative competence is usually understood as the ability to establish and maintain the necessary contacts with other people. The composition of competence includes a set of knowledge, skills and abilities that ensure effective communication. This kind of competence involves the ability to change the depth and circle of communication, to understand and be understood by communication partners. Communicative competence is a developing and largely conscious experience of communication between people, which is formed in conditions of direct interaction. The process of improving communicative competence is associated with the development of personality. The means of regulation of communicative acts are part of human culture, and their appropriation and enrichment occurs according to the same laws as the development and multiplication of cultural heritage as a whole. In many ways, the acquisition of communicative experience occurs not only in the course of direct interaction. From literature, theater, cinema, a person also receives information about the nature of communicative situations, problems of interpersonal interaction and ways to solve them. In the process of mastering the communicative sphere, a person borrows from the cultural environment the means of analyzing communicative situations in the form of verbal and visual forms.

Communicative competence is directly related to the characteristics of the social roles performed by a person.

Communicative competence implies adaptability and freedom of possession of verbal and non-verbal means of communication and can be considered as a category that regulates the system of a person's relationship to himself, the natural and social world.

Thus, both individual and personal qualities, and socio-cultural and historical experience contribute to the formation of competence in communication.

One of the tasks of communicative competence is the assessment of cognitive resources that provide an adequate analysis and interpretation of situations. To diagnose this assessment, there is currently a large block of techniques based on the analysis of "free descriptions" of various communicative situations. Another method of studying communicative competence is observation in natural or specially organized game situations with the involvement of technical means and meaningful analysis of the information received. Depending on the objectives of the study, one can take into account the pace of speech, intonation, pauses, non-verbal techniques, facial expressions and pantomime, and the organization of the communicative space. One of the diagnostic parameters may be the number of techniques used, the other - the adequacy of their application. Of course, such a diagnostic system is quite laborious and its high-quality implementation requires a lot of time and a high qualification of the observer. The difficulty in assessing communicative competence lies also in the fact that people in the process of communication are guided by a complex system of rules for regulating joint actions. And if the situation of interaction can be analyzed, then the rules by which people enter this situation are not always realized.

One of the means of developing communicative competence is socio-psychological training (SPT). This relatively new scientific and practical area of ​​psychology is currently being intensively developed as an integral and important part of the psychological service system. With all the variety of specific forms of SPT, they all have a common feature - it is a means of influence aimed at developing certain knowledge, skills and experience in the field of interpersonal communication. We can say that in psychological terms, this means the following:

- development of a system of communication skills and abilities;

– correction of the existing system of interpersonal communication;

– creation of personal prerequisites for successful communication.

An analysis of the possible impacts of socio-psychological training reveals that in the process of group work, the deep personal formations of the participants in the training are also affected. After all, a person receives new specific information about himself. And this information affects such personal variables as values, motives, attitudes. All this speaks in favor of the fact that SPT can be associated with the process of personality development, or rather, with the beginning of this process. Indeed, the new information about oneself and others received in the training, as a rule, is acutely emotionally mediated, prompts to rethink the existing self-concept and the concept of the “other”.

Mastering deep communication is both a means and a result of exposure within the TBT.

The development of personality consists not only in the construction of the highest levels of its structure, but in the weakening of existing and ineffective ones.

Thus, we can say that the development of competence in communication involves an adequate choice and use of the entire set of tools focused on the development of personal subject-subject aspects of communication and the subject-object components of this process.

In the broadest sense, a person's competence in communication can be defined as his competence in interpersonal perception, interpersonal communication and interpersonal interaction.

Communication in interpersonal communication is not identical to just the exchange of information, because:

- between people there are certain interpersonal relationships;

- these relationships are changeable;

“thought is not equal to the direct meaning of the word.”

A special specificity of human communication is the presence of barriers that prevent the penetration of information. The appearance of barriers, however, is quite logical, because communication is an impact. In the case of successful exposure, a person may experience any changes in his perception of the world. Not everyone is ready for this and wants this, because such changes violate his stability, opinion about himself, other people, so a person will defend himself from exposure.

It is quite clear that not every impact in communication is threatening. On the contrary, there are a large number of situations in which the information received is positive, strengthening the position of a person, giving him emotional satisfaction. Thus, a person must be able to recognize useful and harmful information. How can this be done?

Let's look at the barriers. Speech in human communication is the main method of influence. If the listener trusts the speaker as much as possible, then he completely accepts the speaker's thoughts, while defending himself from the speaker's influences, the listener “lets go” of his trust very carefully. Consequently, not every speaker inspires and influences, faced with counter psychological activity, which is the basis for the emergence of barriers to communication. These barriers include: avoidance, authority, misunderstanding. Thus, the methods of protection against exposure are:

– avoidance of contact with sources of exposure;

- orientation to one's own culture, logic, style, language and misunderstanding of a foreign language, semantic field, style and logic.

Accordingly, to overcome barriers it is necessary:

- to attract and hold the attention of a communication partner;

- use a universal feedback mechanism in order to clarify the understanding of the situation, words, feelings and logic of the interlocutor;

Considering the interactive side, researchers study various types of interaction situations in the course of communication. In the most general form, one can single out the dichotomous division into competition and cooperation proposed by Deutsch. Various types of interactions can be captured through observation. In one of the most famous observation schemes developed by R. Bales, the following categories are distinguished, with the help of which interaction can be described: the area of ​​problem statement, the area of ​​problem solving, the area of ​​positive emotions, the area of ​​negative emotions. Considering the interactive side of communication, it is necessary to take into account the parameters and characteristics of the situation in which the interaction takes place. At present, the situational approach, in which the parameters of the situation are the starting point for the analysis of communication, is gaining more and more development.

§ 18.6. CHOICE OF A SUBJECTIVE-OPTIMAL LIFE WAY

A person's awareness of his subjectively optimal life path is an important element of his personal maturity. This is clearly stated in the definitions that indicate the absence of such awareness - "unlucky" or even "dissolute" person. The social experience of many generations of people, reflected in these expressions, shows that each person, with all the variety of possible directions of movement in life, has one direction intended specifically for him, that is, “his own” path.

A person is born with an individual set of intellectual and emotional inclinations, which are subsequently transformed into abilities, interests, motives for behavior and activity. By engaging precisely in those spheres of life for which he has the necessary inclinations, a person turns out to be the most trainable. It develops faster and demonstrates success, obviously exceeding the average level. We will designate this hypothetical set of inclinations as development potential.

On a pragmatic level, a life path that, according to its conditions and requirements for a person, fully corresponds to its development potential, can be interpreted as subjectively optimal. At the metaphorical level, it is nothing more than a deep psychological readiness for some purely individual mission, for the implementation of which this person came to this world for the benefit of others and for his own pleasure.

The predestination of the life path, unfortunately, does not mean its obvious predestination. The path is chosen by a person based on rational grounds or by the will of circumstances, that is, for reasons that have practically nothing to do with his real inclinations. Therefore, selection errors are highly probable. In youth, they are inevitable, since the experience of testing oneself in various activities is still small, and the accuracy of self-understanding is minimal. The flexibility of the developing psyche, in principle, allows young people to adapt to any, even the most unsuitable type of occupation.

The fallacy of the chosen direction of life becomes expressed in adulthood. Prolonged following the "not one's own" path leads to a gap between conscious behavior and the needs inherent in the development potential. This gap is subjectively expressed in the appearance of dysphoric experiences and increased neuropsychic tension.

The most striking manifestations of adult “nonsense” are the so-called “burnout syndrome” in professions related to public activities, as well as the “mid-life crisis”, attributed by various authors to the age range from 35 to 45 years. The peculiarity of this crisis is that it gradually forms in socially and psychologically well-off people. The psychological discomfort that grows as the crisis develops has no logical basis for them for a long time: in the subjective sense, individually everything in life is good, but in general it is bad. The disguise of the internal cause of discomfort makes it impossible to purposefully combat it and ultimately leads to extraordinary actions and behavior.

In the evolution of the animal world, some differences have developed in the mental makeup of the male and female individuals, which are significant for the problem we are discussing. In particular, we are talking about the lower average pliability to learning, the rigidity of the ways of mental activity and behavior, the narrow orientation of the inclinations of the development potential in the male individual. Because of this, men are much more likely to not discover "their" path and are not able to fully adapt to the path they have already embarked on.

The first step out of the crisis towards "one's own" path is the awareness of the dysphoric states experienced as a consequence of the systemic crisis of one's life as such, and not as a situationally formed set of particular difficulties. With all the relativity of subjective self-assessment, we can recommend for self-diagnosis several sensory (i.e., formed by the subconscious) indicators that reveal the fact of following a life “not one’s own” path:

1. Feeling of persistent bad luck, "everything goes against ...". The experience of failure is due to the fact that the “not one’s own” goal, the goal that lies outside the “own” path, does not trigger the work of subconscious thinking. Thus, the results of the work of conscious thinking are not supplemented by generalized data (for the entire amount of information available in a person's experience on the problem being solved) in the form of intuition. Limiting the information base of the decision being made to only its conscious part sharply reduces the adequacy of planning and causes the resulting low success of the action.

2. Tiredness of achievements, unpleasant fatigue as a constant experience. The tediousness of “not one’s own” action is explained by the fact that the subconscious mind denies it direct interest as the most effective stimulator of working capacity, and the activity performed mainly due to volitional tension is extremely energy-consuming and therefore tiring.

3. Lack of full satisfaction (joy, pride, jubilation) upon achieving success, joylessness of long-awaited events or victories. The subjective bleakness of success can be considered the most accurate indication of the fallacy of the actions taken. It can be understood as a message from the subconscious that the goal achieved was not truly “yours”. Therefore, there is no achievement in the sense of moving along the individual life path, and therefore the emotional reinforcement of the work done is not included.

The deep meaning of these indicators lies in the fact that they unobtrusively create such subjective conditions that push a person to abandon activities that, according to their requirements and likely results, are “not their own”.

The mechanism of the crisis is the loss of dynamism in the development of personality. The uncertainty of one's own "I" and one's future is the leading problem of youth. She decides by testing herself in various cases and situations (hence the teenage “I want to know everything”, “I have to try everything in life”). As a result of such efforts, the young man is gradually determined by what he is. And thus falls into a psychological trap with far-reaching consequences. His subjective "I" becomes a very local territory, reliably cut off from the "non-I" (from uncertainty) by prohibitions and self-prohibitions. The overdetermination of the present is precisely what becomes, over time, the leading problem of adulthood. The cessation of changes in oneself and in the world is the end of life.

Part of the general loss of psychological dynamism is the ossification of the picture of the surrounding world. In fact, as many people as there are in something different pictures of the world, including those that are directly opposite in their fundamental positions, and ideas about each other's personality. However, for any adult it seems self-evident and does not need any justification that his ideas about himself and the world around him are quite accurate and, most importantly, objective, and any deviations from them in a life partner are evidence of his poor knowledge of the “real” world. life, weakness of mind or dishonesty.

Under these circumstances, the situation of a person experiencing a mid-life crisis is truly dramatic. All his attempts to logically correct his bleak life are fundamentally doomed to failure. The diffuse experience that “everything is not as it should”, the feeling of “loss of the meaning of life” arises because, with these ideas about one’s capabilities in this subjective world, the desire for a “correct” life (energetic, efficient and joyful) in principle cannot be satisfied.

The specific forms in which an adult acquires “his own” way of life can be infinitely varied. Therefore, we outline at least the main stages of such an acquisition. It seems that, in an expanded form, the search for a path consists of three successive stages: awareness of the crisis, self-identification, reorientation.

The realization that life has come to a standstill and that further existence in its former form is impossible requires considerable courage from a person. Moreover, the subconscious, performing its protective function, exposes to consciousness a set of “obvious” minor problems (I am such an anxious person ... relations with employees do not add up ... children do not obey me ... etc.). It is much easier for a consciousness that has ceased to change to delve into any set of petty pseudo-problems for an infinitely long time than to understand that it is impossible to live like this any longer. At the peak of experiencing the meaninglessness of their existence, every adult has a choice of three solutions:

1. Fear the inevitable upheavals of the old way of life, "pull yourself together" and pretend that everything is in order. Frantically do something: work, fishing, order in the house, reading, etc. In fact, this is the path of a good degradation of the soul, its necrosis, after which the destruction of the body (high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, ulcer, hormonal disorders) wait won't force itself for a very long time.

2. “Knock out a wedge with a wedge”, drown out the sense of the meaninglessness of life with more intense experiences. The wretchedness of the goal itself gives rise to the wretchedness of the means used: alcohol, the desire for risk as such, a riotous lifestyle, less often drug use. Suicide is the most radical of the means of this kind.

3. Start consistently destroying your former world. In the shell of familiar ideas, of course, it’s bad - it’s stuffy, and musty, and cramped. But, on the other hand, it protects against the unknown and the dangers and hardships associated with it. Therefore, anyone who decides to free himself from it must be prepared for the fact that at first “freedom” he will be met mainly only by new difficulties and problems. True, they will be qualitatively different than in his past world.

Self-identification consists in a complete, active and, accordingly, not distorted expression outside and awareness of one's "I". Everyone is probably familiar with bittersweet thoughts like: “Oh, if I could only ... (some subjectively attractive action), but ... (motivation why this should not be done).” Until everything attractive is really tried, illusions cannot be separated from truth. Only by fully expressing yourself outside can you fully see if it is you.

Communication with a professional psychologist (consultant, psychotherapist) can significantly help speed up self-identification. Not "voiced" judgments about oneself and the world can remain inconsistent and contradictory for an arbitrarily long time - the person himself does not notice this. As for solving many other problems, for accurate self-understanding, an external action (story) directed to the outside world (at the consultant) is necessary. The task of the consultant in this case is to serve as a smart mirror in which the client can see himself without the usual distortions, retouching and “white spots”.

Reorientation is understood as a search (discovery for oneself) of a new orienting basis in the perception and assessment of the circumstances and situations of the world. While a person looks around him with "old" eyes, he will be able to see only what he saw before: the old world, the old problems, the old inability to somehow solve them. A person trying to get out of a life crisis is sure to ask a consultant: “So what should I do?”. But the complexity of the answer lies precisely in the fact that the entire set of actions available to this person at the moment is an organic element of his former life, and their use can only lead to its temporary resuscitation. The only adequate action in a crisis is the rejection of stereotypical for oneself, "obvious" and "objectively determined" expectations, attitudes and reactions.

Mistakes in the choice and subsequent correction of a subjectively optimal life path are inevitable and, in this sense, normal. Overcoming a life crisis (with the help of its awareness, self-identification, reorientation) leads to a more complete and accurate understanding of "one's" path, experiencing the meaningfulness of one's life and satisfaction with it.

§ 18.7. CONDITIONAL-COMPENSATORY WAYS IN SELF-REALIZATION

One of the most important is self-realization in the field of professional activity. For various reasons, self-realization can take the path of conditional compensation for the subjective complexity of professional activity.

In this area, the phenomenon of "emotional burnout" among psychotherapists involved in conducting socio-psychological training is known. It consists in the gradual loss by the therapist of the ability to be steadily and diversely included by his emotions in the training process. Experienced doctors have a specific "detachment" from the experiences and suffering of the patient when they perform the necessary, but painful medical procedures. The same "detachment" can be characteristic of law enforcement officials who perform some standard actions against violators.

We have described the most complete professional-specific mechanisms of psychological defense for major political figures, high-ranking civil servants. As a result of observing their behavior and public performances, at least three specific types of defense mechanisms were identified. The following conditional names were used to designate them: “I am exceptional”, “Life is a game” and “You are doing badly”.

Defense mechanism "I– exceptional". The complexity of moving up the career ladder pushes people who have achieved certain success along this path to perceive themselves as not quite ordinary, in some way especially gifted, different from ordinary people. The higher the rank occupied by a person in any hierarchical system, the less he is inclined to identify himself with the "people", with the "masses". Senior officials in a large organization, as a rule, stop listening to advice "from below", completely relying on their personal experience and intuition.

The reason for the appearance of this kind of experience is the mismatch between the enormous difficulty of achieving a high status and the real possibility of losing it at once.

The emerging experience of one's own exclusivity and therefore fundamental indispensability at the helm of power serves to reduce this kind of anxiety. A private, but quite indicative example of the operation of the mechanism under consideration is the excessive attention that is currently being paid by the supreme power to the fate of the remains of the last Russian emperor and his family: only he, as the supreme leader, alone (out of hundreds of thousands of people who died without a trace in that period) is recognized as capable of becoming "a symbol of repentance and reconciliation."

The defense mechanism "You're doing badly." Its action is closely connected with the very essence of the phenomenon of leadership. A leader is a figure that emerges in a difficult environment for the sake of overcoming a problem that is significant for them by a group of people. Therefore, it is much easier to lead when the group, the population is obviously bad, when anxiety and confusion dominate in the socio-psychological climate, but there is still hope for a favorable outcome. A vivid example of this can be some Russian leaders who act resolutely and effectively in public only in extreme situations such as a putsch, an election campaign. Such situations are their element. It is here, on the verge of life and death, that they acquire justified popularity among the masses. When ordinary, “sluggish” life comes, these leaders disappear from television screens, become socially passive, from time to time attracting the attention of society with unexpected and not always adequate actions.

A significant part of the people in power are not psychologically true leaders. They “went into power” and ended up in it, in a sense, situationally - such is the troubled time. It is precisely for such leaders that an involuntary desire to create more comfortable conditions for their activity by strengthening, forcing, and partly provoking neuropsychic tension among others is characteristic. In the public speech of the leader, an obvious indicator of such a desire is the fixation on depiction, sometimes grotesque, of already existing problems, troubles and difficulties, but especially predicted, additional hardships for the population.

Protective mechanism "Life is a game". The well-being of very large groups of the population largely depends on the actions and decisions of the holders of power. Erroneous or insufficiently professional actions of the former may pose a threat to the integrity and stability of the state. Constant awareness of this would be a powerful stressor for them. The psychological mechanism “Life is a game” serves as protection against it: many leaders form an attitude towards their activities as a specific game for a limited circle of people. And like any game, it can be played successfully or with mistakes and defeats. But in any case, it really affects the interests of only those who play. For any active participant in the game, its rules and conditions, the behavior of other players, etc. are very important. And therefore, it is quite natural that in the speeches of political leaders of various ranks, the share of statements on intra-party, factional issues, on political personalities, regulations is exceptionally large. and procedures, the removal and appointment of certain personalities, that is, in fact, on technological ("game") moments that are not directly related to the interests and needs of voters.

Psychological defense mechanisms, formed at an involuntary level, are an important part of a person's systemic adaptation to the general and specific conditions of his life and activity. The conditionally compensatory nature of this form of psychological adaptation is given by its primary focus on maintaining the subjective comfort of the individual, and not on the objective tasks of activity. Timely detection of the action of protective mechanisms, the establishment of the reasons for their launch serve as prerequisites for increasing the efficiency of activity while maintaining the integrity and harmony of the "I".