Tag Archives: persecutor

The role we unconsciously play- Persecutor

The Persecutor

The Persecutor

As one of the roles in The Drama Triangle, the Persecutor can be the agent or the client. The Persecutor is sometimes authoritarian, which may sound something like, ” The is the price I will list at, or we won’t be doing business together!” The Persecutor may be highly critical which may sound something like, “This house will never sell!” So you can see how the role could be you as the agent, or the client could also be in this role.

Someone who is used to playing this role will treat the other party like a victim or a child. An example would be a client who asks a question the agent thinks is silly. The agent goes into the role of Persecutor and treats the client as weak and helpless. While not stated overtly, the agent may become condescending every time this client calls and talk down to them.

 

The Drama Triangle

Superman Drama

Superman Drama

 

In NLP, The Drama Triangle refers to roles that play out in highly charged situations. Each and every client we work with comes to us with a strategy for the sale or purchase of a home. This operates like a movie storyboard or a life script that may  run a strategy in many areas of their lives.  Being a part of this movie script prevents equality in the relationship and will go for as long as one of you is willing to play a role.

The Drama Triangle refers to three roles in the strategy of power, responsibility and vulnerability. The roles are played on an unconscious level, as a matter of fact, you may be playing one right now as the agent and not even realize it. When we buy into the drama of any situations, it can escalate problems.

The three positions are:

The way these roles interact with each other happens in a way that self perpetuates. The Persecutor will blame the victim, the victim feels oppressed, the victim will find a Rescuer, when the Rescuer cannot save the victim, guilt will follow  and the Rescuer may take on the role of a permissive and attention giving parent, which reinforces the victim who is seeking attention.

The Rescuer who has failed, now takes on the role of the victim. ( Ever tried to save a deal, failed and went into victim mode?) The person who was originally the victim, now takes on the role of Persecutor and criticizes the person who was trying to rescue them. ( The client who is now angry because their deal fell through changes from victim to persecutor, blaming the agent for everything that went wrong)

As you look at your own role as an agent, are you checking to see whether your are rescuing your client, playing the victim, or persecuting your client? What action do you need to take to stop the cycle?