Abstract
D.Phil.
“This thesis is a study about life, broken relationships, friendships, adapting to
change and personal growth. It is a study about nurturing oneself and
developing those qualities within oneself that will ensure a life of quality,
harmony and inner peace.
Autoethnography is an unconventional research method that is seldom used
in qualitative research circles – the social sciences or human resource
management spheres in South Africa.
The contents of this thesis will be presented to an audience of social
psychologists, social scientists, human resource managers, academics,
school principals, teachers, parents, and divorcees, couples contemplating
divorce, youth leaders and personal, interpersonal and professional
leadership facilitators. The intention is to provide the reader with the
opportunity to learn vicariously through the reading of the stories of other
human beings, to identify with these stories and, as a result, to feel motivated
to effect personal and social change. Reading about others enables us to
learn more about ourselves and to feel in community with other human
beings.
This work presents an autoethnographic account of divorce and the emotional
ramifications of this experience. Performance in the workplace is routinely
compromised when individuals within the workplace are emotionally
distressed. This thesis aims at highlighting the way in which coping strategies
may motivate personal growth that will, in turn, enable the individual to adapt
positively to change while performing optimally in the workplace.
This work is set in the teaching environment of a primary school. The stories
presented illustrate the myriad issues that are laid bare when worlds drift
apart. Each story highlights challenges that will need to be addressed during
the divorce process. The issues addressed in this thesis include love,
compassion, leadership, values, principles, friendship, self-esteem, ego, selfexpression
and forgiveness. The successful resolution of each challenge and
the subsequent learning process will result in personal growth and a pervasive
feeling of inner peace and harmony.