Using the Drama Triangle in Agile Coaching

Agile coaches can use the Karpman Drama Triangle to better understand the relationships and interpersonal dynamics that occur during agile transformation.

Years ago I did a deep dive into emotional intelligence, and I continue to explore and learn more even today. There are several ways that my expertise in emotional intelligence helps me as an agile coach. One that I appreciate these days is the ability to see victimhood and blaming and how that plays out in various relationships.

A great tool for spotting victimhood is the Karpman Drama Triangle. Developed by Stephen Karpman, it represents a common model of human interaction.

Karpman was a student of Eric Berne, the father of Transactional Analysis. You can explore Eric Berne’s work in his best selling and quite readable 1964 book, Games People Play.

Like all the ‘games’ in Berne’s book, the Karpman Drama Triangle is a pattern of human behavior that plays out around us all the time. In fact, I’d be surprised if you aren’t experiencing the drama triangle in one or more of your current relationships.

Let’s take a look at the drama triangle and then explore its uses as a coaching tool.