The Hidden Patterns That Control Your Leadership: Introducing the Archetype Analysis Tool.
A gentle approach to transforming your automatic reactions
I've been reflecting lately on something that happens to all of us in healthcare leadership - those moments when we react in ways that surprise even ourselves. You know the ones I mean: the colleague's comment that makes your chest tighten, the meeting that leaves you drained and defensive, or the policy change that has you spiralling into frustration before you've even fully understood it.
These uninvited emotional responses are completely natural. We're human beings operating in one of the most demanding environments imaginable. But what I've discovered through my own journey from surgeon to coach is that these reactions hold incredibly valuable information about our inner landscape - if we're willing to look.
The Drama Triangle Lives in All of Us
During my surgical career, I noticed certain patterns emerging. When faced with particular stressors, I'd slip into what I now recognise as disempowering archetypes. Sometimes I'd become the Martyr, taking on everyone else's problems and burning myself out in the process. Other times, I'd shift into Victim mode, feeling overwhelmed and powerless against the system. Occasionally, I'd even catch myself in Perpetrator energy, becoming more controlling or critical than felt authentic to who I truly am.
The thing is, these responses weren't character flaws - they were protective mechanisms my nervous system had developed over years of high-stakes work. But they weren't serving me, my colleagues, or ultimately, our patients.
What If Your Triggers Were Your Teachers?
This realisation led me to develop the Archetype Analysis Tool - a compassionate framework for understanding the deeper patterns behind our emotional responses. Rather than judging ourselves for having these reactions, we can become curious about what they're trying to tell us.
The tool works by helping you identify:
The specific situations, people, or environments that trigger unwanted responses
Which disempowering archetype you tend to embody in these moments
The underlying beliefs or emotions that create these reactions
How you might choose to respond from a more courageous archetype instead
Reframing Power: From Disempowering to Courageous
Here's what I've learned: for every disempowering archetype that shows up in our lives, there's a courageous counterpart waiting to be embodied. It's not about suppressing our humanity - it's about channelling our energy more consciously.
The Vulnerable replaces the Victim. Instead of feeling powerless and overwhelmed, Vulnerable energy allows us to acknowledge our humanity whilst maintaining our agency. When I'm in Vulnerable, I can say "This situation is challenging for me" without collapsing into helplessness. I can ask for support without giving away my power.
The Coach steps in where the Martyr once stood. Rather than rescuing everyone and burning myself out, Coach energy empowers others whilst maintaining healthy boundaries. As a Coach, I can support my colleagues' growth without taking responsibility for their choices or emotions.
The Curious Challenger transforms the Perpetrator. Instead of controlling or criticising, this archetype brings fierce compassion and constructive challenge. When I embody the Curious Challenger, I can address difficult situations and hold people accountable whilst maintaining respect and care for everyone involved.
These courageous archetypes aren't about being perfect - they're about being conscious. They allow us to respond rather than react, to choose our energy rather than being hijacked by old patterns.
From Reaction to Response: A Real Example
Let me share how this works in practice. Recently, I was working with a consultant who found herself becoming increasingly frustrated during multidisciplinary team meetings. Using the Archetype Analysis Tool, we discovered that her trigger wasn't the meetings themselves, but feeling unheard when she contributed clinical insights.
Her pattern was to slip into what we identified as the Victim archetype - becoming quiet, withdrawn, and internally critical of both herself and others. The underlying belief? "My voice doesn't matter here."
Once she could see this pattern clearly, she had choices. Instead of automatically retreating, she could embody the Curious Challenger archetype - staying present, asking thoughtful questions, and advocating for her perspective with both courage and grace. She learned to say things like "I notice my perspective hasn't been explored yet - may I share what I'm seeing from a clinical standpoint?" rather than withdrawing in defeat.
The transformation wasn't just internal. Her colleagues began engaging differently with her contributions, and patient care discussions became more robust and collaborative.
Your Invitation to Awareness
The Archetype Analysis Tool isn't about perfection - it's about awareness. It's recognising that we all have these patterns, showing ourselves compassion for being human, and then consciously choosing how we want to show up.
Every time you complete the analysis, you're gathering data about your inner world. Over time, you'll start to notice themes. Perhaps you always feel triggered by authority figures, or maybe you struggle when your expertise is questioned, or when you feel responsible for everyone else's wellbeing.
These patterns aren't problems to be fixed - they're invitations to greater self-understanding and, ultimately, more conscious leadership.
The Ripple Effect of Conscious Choice
When we begin to interrupt our automatic patterns and choose our responses consciously, something remarkable happens. Not only do we feel more grounded and authentic, but we create space for others to do the same. We model what it looks like to be human and professional, vulnerable and strong, all at once.
When I choose Vulnerable over Victim, I give my colleagues permission to be honest about their struggles too. When I embody Coach instead of Martyr, I empower others to find their own solutions. When I step into Curious Challenger rather than Perpetrator, I create space for constructive dialogue even in difficult conversations.
In a healthcare environment that often rewards stoicism and self-sacrifice, this kind of emotional intelligence becomes revolutionary. It's how we begin to shift culture from the inside out.
Starting Your Own Analysis
If you're curious to explore your own patterns, I encourage you to begin gently. The next time you notice an uninvited emotional response - that spike of anxiety, flash of anger, or wave of overwhelm - pause and ask yourself:
What specifically triggered this feeling?
How am I showing up right now? (Victim, Martyr, Perpetrator?)
What would courage look like in this moment?
Which courageous archetype might serve this situation? (Vulnerable, Coach, Curious Challenger?)
How might I choose to respond differently?
Remember, this isn't about never having emotional responses - they're part of what makes us effective, caring healthcare professionals. It's about developing the awareness to choose our responses rather than being controlled by them.
A Tool for Transformation
The Archetype Analysis Tool is ultimately about reclaiming your power to choose. In a profession where we dedicate ourselves to caring for others, learning to care for our own emotional wellbeing with the same skill and attention becomes an act of service - to ourselves, our colleagues, and everyone whose lives we touch.
Because when we show up as our most conscious, courageous selves, we don't just change our own experience - we create the conditions for transformation throughout the entire system.
If you're ready to explore your own archetypal patterns and develop greater emotional awareness in your leadership, I invite you to download the Archetype Analysis Tool and begin this gentle journey of self-discovery. Sometimes the most profound changes begin with simply noticing what is.
Becs Winterborn is a former consultant vascular surgeon turned transformational coach, supporting healthcare leaders in creating sustainable, fulfilling careers whilst transforming the culture of medicine from within.
