It’s been a while since I’ve heard from Rick, who always asks interesting “systems questions.” Today he asked: “I was just wondering what steps people can take to not be guided by the emotional programming they have acquired from their family of
origin. How does one learn to separate oneself from this programming?”

That’s a tall order, but then, it describes well the work of differentiation, doesn’t it?

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A new series titled “Systems Ju-jitsu” begins today at the Perspectives on Congregational Leadership blog: http://perspectivesig.blogspot.com/2010/05/systems-ju-jitsu-part-1.html

More on why change comes hard at the Perspectives on Congregational Leadership blog. Here’s an excerpt:

One phenomena of the power of homeostasis is that whenever a leader attempts to bring about change he or she will most certainly encounter sabotage. While we can find some comfort in the notion that reactivity is unimaginative, and therefore predictable, sabotage has a thousand faces. The fun thing about sabotage (if one can be non-reactive about it), is that while we can expect it, we will always be surprised at the forms it takes.

You can read the rest of the story here.

Some thoughts on the necessity of interpreting emotional triangles within the context of the emotional field at the Perspectives on Congregational Leadership blog.

A question from one of my students in the systems theory class results in a new insight for leaders from the Dog Whisperer.

Brian Gumm offers a well-written review and critique of The Hidden Lives of Congregations.

Some thoughts on why you probably will never be able to fix some of your church committees at the Perspectives on Congregational Leadership blog.

Check the Perspectives on Congregational Leadership blog for some truisms worth remembering during times of acute anxiety.

Is there a repertoire for self-differentiation? Maybe so. Check the Perspectives on Congregational Leadership blog for thoughts on what some experienced leaders do to help move toward differentiation during a crisis.

Pondering the five common prejudices of congregational leaders at the Perspectives on Congregational Leaders blog site. .