About Reversal Theory: Motivation in Action

How do you foster a healthy concern for deadlines, without the stress and anxiety that accompany them? How do you motivate everyone to follow rules and procedures, and encourage innovation? Balancing, even encouraging, conflicting needs demands an understanding of motivational states and how to work within them.

Reversal Theory provides this understanding. A practical, yet well-researched theory of motivation and emotion, Reversal Theory focuses of the variability and changeability of motives in response to the meaning that a person attaches to a given situation. OKA has been teaching and using Reversal Theory with clients since 2002.  We offer a variety of resources to introduce this tool to you, and to prepare you to use it for yourself and with your groups.

Resources

Reversing Forward: A Practical Guide to Reversal Theory: 78 page full-color fieldbook offering an introduction to Reversal Theory, and a structural guide to an interactive and actionable training session to support trainers in delivering this revolutionary theory and tool.

A Symphony of States and the Meaning of the Moment: Introducing Reversal Theory (PDF): This 2010 article introducing Reversal Theory was published in the APTi Bulletin of Psychological Type.

Motivation and Emotion in Technology Teams (PDF): This published article describes how Reversal Theory can be used to impact the motivational and emotional well-being of technology teams. It includes a summary of what Reversal Theory is, and how it can be used with teams.

Connecting Reversal Theory and Psychological Type (PDF):  OKA is frequently asked how the instruments we use relate to one another. This research paper looks at the relationships between the preferences of psychological type and the states of Reversal Theory.

Reversal Theory Training Site: This website is a free resource for learning about Reversal Theory, with audio-slide shows, sample videos accompanied by Reversal Theory analysis, and excerpts from OKA’s Reversing Forward Fieldbook.

OKA’s Self-Guided Reversal Theory Skillshop Web-Based Training:  Teaches trainers and consultants how to use Reversal Theory with leaders and teams.

Browse other Reversal Theory Products.  Includes OKA’s Reversing Forward: A Practical Guide to Reversal Theory; OKA’s Reversal Theory training slides; and other Reversal Theory books.