Leadership issues as close to home as sibling position and as big-picture as societal regression -- Bowen Family Systems Theory has it all. In the 4th episode in this series, we talk about how our birth order powerfully shapes our behavior as leaders as well as the behavior of those we lead. Then we explore how anxiety shows up in our society in ways that we all recognize from today’s headlines and we consider what less-anxious leadership looks like in times of upheaval and uncertainty.

Summary:

A theory about how humans actually function
Even siblings grow up in a different family
How sibling position shapes our behavior and functioning
Sibling position in congregations and organizations
How society functions like families do
Anxiety in society’s attempts at problem-solving
Strategies for leaders

For basic information about BFST, we recommend these resources:

The 8 Concepts of Bowen Theory by Roberta Gilbert
Extraordinary Relationships by Roberta Gilbert
https://thebowencenter.org/theory/
For a deep dive into Bowen theory in Bowen’s own words, try Family Therapy in Clinical Practice by Murray Bowen.

To expand your application of Bowen theory, consider:

A Diary of Everyday Growing Up (podcast and blog) by Jenny Brown
A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman

Bowen Family Systems Theory #4