Cocoon above! Cocoon below!: Examining the vicissitudes of cocoon phenomena in organizational life

In this paper we explore the metaphor of the cocoon as a vehicle for enriching our understanding of organisational life. Deployed in clinical psychoanalysis to convey both intrapsychic experiences and interpersonal dynamics, the cocoon metaphor has yet to be applied to workplace dynamics. We outline the origins of the cocoon metaphor in the arts and in clinical psychoanalysis, noting its connotations as a both a fortified defence and a potentially generative space of growth. Drawing from Modell (1976) we frame the cocoon experience as a relational dynamic within and between individuals. In doing so we position the psychodynamics of organisational cocoons in the paradox described by Winnicott between the wish to be known and remain unknown. We explore how consultants, when they are able to create good enough holding environments, can foster free movement between the poles of this paradox, facilitating both generative retreat from others and movement towards others in the doing of work. We illustrate such facilitation of protective space in work settings with two vignettes presented from our experiences working in and consulting to organisations. We conclude by discussing the broader implications of thinking and working through cocoon phenomena in organisations.