Explaining Defensive Behavior - Irvington Organizational Psychologist Looks Inward for Inspiration

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. - Dec. 4, 2017 - PRLog -- On October 22^nd, Ethan Schutz took the stage at TEDx Tarrytown. His mission was to educate the audience – a crowd known for being passionate about having conversations that matter – about the origins and impact of defensive behavior. It's a subject Schutz knows well – his father did some of the pioneering research into organizational psychology 65 years ago, and addressing the impact of defensive behaviors in the workplace constitutes a significant portion of Schutz's current work as an organizational psychologist – yet to craft his talk, "Confront Your Fears – Lower Your Defenses: Can't You See I'm Busy Being Miserable?", Schutz was forced into a deeper, first-hand examination of the concept. It was a process he found to be both uncomfortable and enriching.

In a recent article, Schutz wrote about the awkward moment when he realized he had to "listen to my own talk about defensiveness and manage my own defensiveness!" He'd prepared multiple drafts of the talk, only to discover they weren't what was needed. "This feedback and realization was hard. After all, I've been giving keynotes and professional presentations for many years and the implication was that for many years I've been giving talks that are boring. Not so much fun to become aware of."

Several revisions followed, as Schutz shifted his presentation style to incorporate more storytelling. He made his narrative personal, sharing insightful conversations with his father, who had Parkinson's Disease, as well as his own professional insecurities. The result is a compelling 12-minute talk that begins with a question from his father: "Can't you see I'm busy being miserable?"

The presentation was well-received. "Ethan Schutz's TEDx talk was skillfully presented and emotionally compelling," said Dr. Craig Zalvan, M.D., F.A.C.S., and Coren Schwartz, LCSW. "He was able to present complex and meaningful psychological dynamics into a very digestible and user-friendly package for the audience. His ideas were applicable not only for enhancing and improving relationships in the work-place, but for all relationships in general. His ability to speak comfortably, with humor and warmth made his talk a real stand out."

"Fascinating topic, innovative delivery!" Russ Demarest of Electron Ink agreed. "Ethan Schutz showed us an easy way to increase authenticity in the workplace." The Schutz Company offers a variety of solutions designed to help leaders encourage greater levels of awareness in their team members, as a route to improved organizational morale and productivity. "In today's age of distraction, the mindfulness movement is crucial," Jean Belchou of DoctorMac said. "Ethan offers us the next steps beyond mindfulness."

"In an era where self-awareness is so critical, Ethan Schutz injects humility and humor in his TEDx talk about this difficult subject," Jessica Seidel, LCSW concludes. "In a refreshingly honest and accepting way he offers us an avenue in which to explore self-awareness and communicate about it, in order to improve all of our relationships." To see "Confront Your Fears – Lower Your Defenses: Can't You See I'm Busy Being Miserable?" for yourself, visit https://theschutzcompany.com/tedx-talk/. To learn more about Ethan Schutz and the Schutz Company, visit TheSchutzCompany.com.

Ethan Schutz is available for interviews.