Category Archives: bowen family systems theory

Taking responsibility for one’s own feelings

Posted on June 5, 2008 by Israel Galindo

Learning to take responsibility for our own feelings can be hard work. Our culture certainly doesn’t help given its propensity for encouraging a “victim” mentality. People seem to “take offense” readily at just about anything. And too many encourage that … Continue reading →

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Imaginative Gridlock

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Israel Galindo

I’ve been working with a couple of organizations that are “stuck” but motivated enough to get moving toward becoming “healthier.” As I witness the process of working with the leaders and employees of both organizations I’m reminded of some fundamental … Continue reading →

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Coming of Age

Posted on May 22, 2008 by Israel Galindo

I finally got around to watching a DVD from Netflix that’s been sitting on the coffee table for about a month (thank goodness for that “no late fees” policy!). The movie was House of D. In the movie a thirteen-year-old … Continue reading →

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What your brain thinks

Posted on May 15, 2008 by Israel Galindo

An advantageous reminder is that while we are blessed with the power of cognition, we remain biological creatures often at the mercy of our phylogeny. This is advantageous when we recognize it, and, when the instinctual, non-rational part of our … Continue reading →

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The facts about reactivity

Posted on May 13, 2008 by Israel Galindo

Leaders often get caught by surprise by reactivity. That’s no surprise given that reactivity often feels like a dose of intense raw emotion. That kind of energy goes right to the amygdala triggering reactivity on the part of the recipient … Continue reading →

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Book review: Seeds for the Future, by Dale

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Israel Galindo

Opening this “seed catalog,” as author Bob Dale calls his book on organic church leadership (Seeds for the Future: Growing Organic Leaders for Living Churches. St. Louis, MO: Lake Hickory Resources, 2005), you are struck almost immediately by central themes … Continue reading →

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On ideology: two sides of the same coin

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Israel Galindo

Elections can provide endless entertainment, if you’re into that sort of thing. But there’s enough drama at all levels to provide a source of amusement for most people, not the least of which is to watch ideologues in action. Liberals … Continue reading →

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The pastor’s function as coach

Posted on May 6, 2008 by Israel Galindo

I’m often surprised at the disconnect that we clergy have from our congregation in several areas. One I see especially seems counterintuitive. We go to conferences to feed our own growth about spirituality and faith, and then fail to share … Continue reading →

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It only takes a few of them

Posted on April 29, 2008 by Israel Galindo

Forced terminations of clergy remains one of the most difficult, and often tragic, issues for congregations. A congregation can take years to recover from the forced termination o a pastor—and so also for the pastor. A single episode can become … Continue reading →

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Are humans a “pack animal”?

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Israel Galindo

I finally got around to doing a presentation on “Leadership Lessons from the Dog Whisperer.” It was a fun presentation and seemed well-received. As often happens in plenary presentations participants will focus on the immediate concepts as a frame of … Continue reading →

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