In conversation with Shaun McCarthy, we explored the transformative Childhood Origins workshop – an experience that has left a lasting impact on countless Human Synergistics Accredited Practitioners and participants alike.
The origins of the Circumplex
Shaun began by sharing the inspiration behind the Circumplex itself. Developed by Dr. J. Clayton Lafferty in the early 1970s, the Circumplex integrated theories from self-actualisation, McClelland’s achievement, Rogers’ humanistic psychology and more. Shaun explained:
“Clay Lafferty was looking for a way to integrate different theories into a framework that showed specific, clear relationships with individual and organisational performance. He figured if he could find a way of measuring them, he could solve some of the major riddles around human behaviour.”
Childhood, family and our styles
The workshop delves into how our family environments can shape our thinking styles – the constructive or defensive patterns that guide our lives. The saying, often attributed to the Jesuits, “Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man,” highlights just how profoundly early childhood experiences shape who we become.
The workshop unpacks how family environments contribute to the development of each style in the Childhood Origins framework. Shaun highlighted that just as organisational culture shapes behaviour at work, family culture shapes us as young individuals:
“Family environment is like organisational culture. It’s the behavioural norms that are reinforced throughout the family that affect how effective we are as individuals. If we can understand how this stuff impacts us at home, we can probably make a bigger difference than how it impacts us at work.”
Consistency between work and home
Many believe they show up differently at work versus at home, but Shaun challenges this assumption:
“We tend to be quite consistent with our behaviours. How we think is extremely consistent, and how we think impacts how we behave, which impacts how we perform.”
A personal story of change
Shaun shared how his own upbringing shaped an Approval style within him:
“I grew up in an environment where the mantra was ‘Don’t upset Mum.’ I achieved satisfaction by keeping other people happy, but that limited me professionally – especially when making tough decisions. I had to challenge that thought process and tell myself: ‘I do not need the approval of other people in order to feel good about myself.’ It didn’t happen overnight, but it changed my decision-making forever.”
Breaking through aggressive-defensive and passive-defensive styles
His advice for those stuck in defensive thinking patterns is simple but powerful:
“Recognise what is driving your thinking. The best way is to do LSI 1. Then develop strategies to think differently. Changing behaviour is relatively easy – it’s observational. Changing thinking is more complex, but not impossible if you know how.”
The power of cognitive reframing
Shaun illustrated this with a story about quitting smoking:
“I realised that every time I picked up a cigarette, it was linked to a stressful call or meeting. So I began saying, ‘I do not need a cigarette to ring this person. I do not need a cigarette to go into this meeting.’ Within a week, I quit after years of trying. The mind is an extraordinarily powerful thing.”
The format and impact of the workshop
The Childhood Origins workshop runs for approximately 2.5–3 hours online. Participants often leave with insights that extend far beyond coaching:
“One of the greatest pieces of feedback I get is how it impacts people’s views of their own families and children. Many have never considered how their childhood shaped them, and it shifts how they think about raising their own kids.”
While the workshop equips practitioners to explore family influences, Shaun emphasises it is not therapy. Instead, it provides a foundational understanding to approach such conversations with sensitivity and care.
Final reflections
Shaun left us with a reminder that resonates with parents, leaders and coaches alike:
“Most of us fail to understand that the child is the centre of their own existence. The more we can discipline ourselves to see how the child sees it, the more constructive our interactions will be.”
Want to learn more?
Explore our upcoming Childhood Origins workshops and experience the insights for yourself.
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