At the conclusion to a recent presentation on leadership in organizations someone asked, “How would you define emotional integration in an organization?” While I did not use that phrase in my presentation, it was a good question. <\/p>\n
The term integration refers to a unification toward a whole. The term “emotional” was in reference to Bowen theory. In that context “emotional system” refers not primarily to feelings, rather it describes the evolutionary automatic instincts and dynamics that govern biological life, including how they influence the way people function in relationships.<\/p>\n
For humans, these evolutionary biological instincts and dynamics are mediated by the unique capacities of the human species, including cognition, self-determination, agency, values and belief systems. Among those, two of the most influential instincts are work in organizations are the togetherness- individuality instincts. Influenced by anxiety, these instincts manifest in people herding for protection and safety or moving toward individuality for emotional distance. <\/p>\n
So how might one answer the question about emotional integration in an organization\u2014a business, a congregation, an educational organization? For starters one will need to extrapolate the concepts of the theory whose origin is in biological family systems. That should not be difficulty given Bowen’s assertion that \u201cThe patterns of all emotional systems are the same whether they be family systems, work systems, or social systems, the only difference being one of intensity\u201d (Bowen 1978, p. 485).<\/p>\n
Emotional Integration in Organizations<\/b> <\/p>\n
We can posit that emotional integration in organizations involves at least three things:<\/p>\n
What would you add to the list of what constitutes “emotional integration” in an organization?<\/p>\n
Israel Galindo<\/b> directs the Pastoral Excellence Program<\/a> of the Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia seminary. He is the author of the bestseller,\u00a0The Hidden Lives of Congregations<\/a>\u00a0(Alban),\u00a0Perspectives on Congregational Leadership<\/a>\u00a0(Educational Consultants), and\u00a0A Family Genogram Workbook<\/a>\u00a0(Educational Consultants), with Elaine Boomer & Don Reagan, and Leadership in Ministry: Bowen Theory in the Congregational Context.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n At the conclusion to a recent presentation on leadership in organizations someone asked, “How would you define emotional integration in an organization?” While I did not use that phrase in my presentation, it was a good question. The term integration … Continue reading