Few things escape the consequences of their own success. This axiom seems true even of Bowen Family Systems Theory. It seems that systems theory is now the “in” thing—never have there been as many courses offered, or more “experts” expounding on the matter. And a sure sign of its popularity is the rate of books being turned out that claim to have a “systems approach to” something or other. This is, overall, a good thing. The more the theory is propagated, the better, I say. But one consequence of the theory’s lightning fast dissemination is the risk of misunderstandings—like in a global game of that old parlor game, “telegraph.” What goes in one ear at one end may come out as something completely different at the other—the message lost in translation as it is passed from one person to another.
I continue to hear many “misunderstandings” related to Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST). And while I’m no self-appointed guardian of the truth, I am enough of an advocate for critical thinking—and admittedly have little patience for “fuzzy thinking”—that I often find myself offering correctives when I hear a misapplication or misunderstanding of the theory. After all, both, I think, can have dire consequences. Below, then, is Part 1 of some “correctives” to some of the more common “systems misunderstandings” I run into.
Systems theory is about leadership. The fact is that BFST is primarily about therapy. But the theory identifies principles about relationships and human relationship systems that are universally applicable to any context in which people form attachments or live and work together. This “applied theory” to the concerns of leadership is appropriate. But to believe that systems theory is a “style of leadership” is a fundamental misunderstanding. Too many seem to use BFST as another “technique” for leadership, or as a “veneer” applied over a pseudo self so as to “act non-anxiously.”
Systems theory is about managing conflict. For those unfortunate enough to occupy a leadership position, this is the cold hard truth: conflict exists and it cannot be managed. To assume that systems theory provides a way to manage other people’s behaviors, emotions, beliefs, or anxiety is a fundamental error. What system theory offers the leader is a way to manage him or herself amid the natural conflict that arises in relationship systems.
Systems theory is about managing change. Sorry, it’s not about this either. How do you “manage” the nature of the cosmos? Change, in both forms of evolution and entropy, is the nature of the world we live in. The typical misunderstanding here is that systems is a tool to use in managing other people, relationships, organizations, resources, forces, and circumstances. Holding on to that misunderstanding will do a leader in every time. If systems theory is about anything, it is about managing self in the midst of the constant changes around us.
In tomorrow’s blog we will continue with Part 2 of “Systems Misunderstandings.” Share other misundertandings or misapplications of the theory that you have encountered.
The above abbreviated material is from a presentation at a Leadership In Ministry workshop and a feature in the LIM newsletter.
