In our workplace relationships, we may often find ourselves playing a role-even if we don’t realise it at the time. Perhaps some of these scenarios sound familiar:
- One of your team members gets stuck, so you step in to help them and provide a solution.
- Forces outside your control, like illness, require you to give up control and ask for help. This is a very awkward and uncomfortable position for you.
- You learn about a decision that’s been made without your input — like a new hire that’s going to impact your team or even a re-org that’s going to impact the whole company. This leads you to feel dissatisfied and unhappy with your work.
Each of these situations exemplifies the dynamic known as the “ Karpman drama triangle .” Initially proposed by Stephen B. Karpman, the model focuses on three roles: the victim, the rescuer, and the persecutor. Each role represents a common but ineffective response to conflict. Let’s look at each in a bit more detail.