- May 7, 2025Change/Transformation, Leadership, Organizational Culture
Leadership Off the Map
Remember maps? Before Siri’s disembodied voice told us where to go, we had all kinds of maps –road maps and key maps and the big folding maps that never quite...
- April 30, 2025Bowen Family Systems, Change/Transformation, Emotional Maturity
Family of Origin Work: How to Begin
Because we developed our unique reactive pattern in our family of origin, changing how we relate to that family clears the way for changing [other] relationships. This means staying connected...
- April 23, 2025Bowen Family Systems, Emotional Maturity, Leadership
How Understanding Family of Origin Work Helps Me Lead
Understanding the concept of sibling position in Bowen theory allows me to maintain leadership responsibility without resorting to shame or blame. Early in my training in Bowen theory, I made...
- April 15, 2025Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Power and Authority
Building Trust and Risking Trust in Adaptive Change
Building Trust and Risking Trust in Adaptive Change Leading adaptive change in a church or any other organization requires a foundation of trust. As a leader builds trust, people grant...
- April 2, 2025Emotional Maturity, Self-care
Rearranging Furniture
Abridged for The Leader's Journey blog. The original post can be found at this link. On Monday, Joel took the day off from work and we rearranged some furniture. We...
- March 28, 2025Emotional Intelligence, Organizational Culture
The Complexity of Trust
When trust is low, everything is hard. As trust erodes, communication breaks down and collaboration is miserable. That’s why it makes sense that we intentionally nurture trust on our teams...
- September 15, 2022Contemporary Issues
Are Christians Quiet Quitting?
Fewer people are going to church and those who do go to church go less often. Churches are having a hard time finding volunteers for their usual programs and people...
- June 21, 2022Contemporary Issues
The SBC is my Spiritual Family of Origin
As the SBC winds up, I am, once again, reflecting on the fact that the SBC is my spiritual family of origin. I lived "at home" for 53 years; I...
- May 2, 2022Emotional Intelligence
Boundaries Increase Our Love
In her newest book, Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown begins her section on boundaries by boldly stating that Boundaries are a prerequisite for compassion and empathy. We can’t connect...
- February 28, 2022Leadership
A Lifelong Student of Leadership
I’ve had a lifelong interest in leadership. The first book I read on leadership was in 1986. Burt Nanus and Warren Bennis wrote “Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge.” In this...
- Bowen Family Systems
- Change/Transformation
- Communication/Dialogue
- Conflict
- Contemporary Issues
- Deep Change
- Emotional Intelligence
- Emotional Maturity
- Family Systems
- Guiding Principles
- April 30, 2025Bowen Family Systems, Change/Transformation, Emotional Maturity
Family of Origin Work: How to Begin
Because we developed our unique reactive pattern in our family of origin, changing how we relate to that family clears the way for changing [other] relationships. This means staying connected...
- April 23, 2025Bowen Family Systems, Emotional Maturity, Leadership
How Understanding Family of Origin Work Helps Me Lead
Understanding the concept of sibling position in Bowen theory allows me to maintain leadership responsibility without resorting to shame or blame. Early in my training in Bowen theory, I made...
- April 6, 2021Bowen Family Systems
How Bowen Theory Helps Me Lead Without Resorting to Shame or Blame
Understanding the concept of sibling position in Bowen Theory allows me to maintain leadership responsibility without resorting to shame or blame. Early in my training in Bowen Theory I made...
- February 8, 2021Bowen Family Systems
Bowen Theory’s Absolutely Unique Take on Leadership
Want to know what convinced me that Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST) provides a powerful resource for leaders of all sorts? When our family embarked on the journey of fostering...
- May 7, 2025Change/Transformation, Leadership, Organizational Culture
Leadership Off the Map
Remember maps? Before Siri’s disembodied voice told us where to go, we had all kinds of maps –road maps and key maps and the big folding maps that never quite...
- April 30, 2025Bowen Family Systems, Change/Transformation, Emotional Maturity
Family of Origin Work: How to Begin
Because we developed our unique reactive pattern in our family of origin, changing how we relate to that family clears the way for changing [other] relationships. This means staying connected...
- February 11, 2021Change/Transformation, Systems Thinking
Doubling Down and The Anxiety of Change
About a year ago, the CEO of a local Austin startup had the insight to recognize there were some cultural issues stifling the growth and profitability of his company. He...
- May 7, 2018Change/Transformation, Leadership
Building Trust for Change Leadership
Every congregation, every organization is facing the option of deep change or slow death. Context matters in achieving your mission and we are living in the midst of a paradigm...
- September 3, 2019Conflict, Contemporary Issues
We Refuse To Be Enemies: Being defined and connected in Israel/Palestine
It was in a small, stuffy room in the sub-basement of the Golden Walls Hotel, just across the road from the old city of Jerusalem. I was with a small...
- September 15, 2022Contemporary Issues
Are Christians Quiet Quitting?
Fewer people are going to church and those who do go to church go less often. Churches are having a hard time finding volunteers for their usual programs and people...
- June 21, 2022Contemporary Issues
The SBC is my Spiritual Family of Origin
As the SBC winds up, I am, once again, reflecting on the fact that the SBC is my spiritual family of origin. I lived "at home" for 53 years; I...
- September 28, 2020Contemporary Issues
BLESSED ARE THE SPEED BUMPS!
This is a guest post written by Geno Olison. For more about Geno check out his bio below this post. While this post provides excellent, practical guidance about the work...
- March 25, 2020Contemporary Issues, Leadership
20 Questions to Help with COVID-19 Anxiety
As we get deeper into all of this, I can feel my own anxiety increasing and if what I’m seeing in my news feed is any indication, so is yours....
- September 3, 2019Conflict, Contemporary Issues
We Refuse To Be Enemies: Being defined and connected in Israel/Palestine
It was in a small, stuffy room in the sub-basement of the Golden Walls Hotel, just across the road from the old city of Jerusalem. I was with a small...
- April 15, 2025Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Power and Authority
Building Trust and Risking Trust in Adaptive Change
Building Trust and Risking Trust in Adaptive Change Leading adaptive change in a church or any other organization requires a foundation of trust. As a leader builds trust, people grant...
- March 28, 2025Emotional Intelligence, Organizational Culture
The Complexity of Trust
When trust is low, everything is hard. As trust erodes, communication breaks down and collaboration is miserable. That’s why it makes sense that we intentionally nurture trust on our teams...
- May 2, 2022Emotional Intelligence
Boundaries Increase Our Love
In her newest book, Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown begins her section on boundaries by boldly stating that Boundaries are a prerequisite for compassion and empathy. We can’t connect...
- January 13, 2021Emotional Intelligence, Leadership
The Effect of Focus
I taught a communication course at a local university for a number of years. Mostly what that meant was that I helped college students prepare and deliver speeches in class....
- December 11, 2019Emotional Intelligence, Guiding Principles
Managing Painful Feelings – Part 2
The subject line read “Help!” He sent me a long string of emails to read. His organization is engaged in a deep change process, and that the work has produced...
- November 8, 2019Emotional Intelligence
Managing Painful Feelings: Part 1
In my late twenties, I began seeing a counselor. After several sessions of trust-building, one day I complained about something in my life. My counselor asked: “How do you feel...
- April 30, 2025Bowen Family Systems, Change/Transformation, Emotional Maturity
Family of Origin Work: How to Begin
Because we developed our unique reactive pattern in our family of origin, changing how we relate to that family clears the way for changing [other] relationships. This means staying connected...
- April 23, 2025Bowen Family Systems, Emotional Maturity, Leadership
How Understanding Family of Origin Work Helps Me Lead
Understanding the concept of sibling position in Bowen theory allows me to maintain leadership responsibility without resorting to shame or blame. Early in my training in Bowen theory, I made...
- April 2, 2025Emotional Maturity, Self-care
Rearranging Furniture
Abridged for The Leader's Journey blog. The original post can be found at this link. On Monday, Joel took the day off from work and we rearranged some furniture. We...
- December 15, 2020Emotional Maturity
I have been trying to grow up
Somewhere along the way I became convinced that if I could do a little bit better for myself, the people around me might be able to do a little better...
- January 24, 2020Emotional Maturity
Owning My Mess and Learning to See My Self More Clearly
I’ve been reading Brene Brown’s “Rising Strong” and recently finished the chapter about sewer rats and scofflaws. It speaks to how our self-righteousness and judgment of others and ourselves clouds...
- October 30, 2019Emotional Maturity
A TOOL FOR NAVIGATING CHANGE IN A COMPLEX WORLD
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE The world is changing at a pace that is staggering. From the escalation of political polarization, to the increase of wealth disparity, to the increasing occurrence of...
- December 11, 2019Emotional Intelligence, Guiding Principles
Managing Painful Feelings – Part 2
The subject line read “Help!” He sent me a long string of emails to read. His organization is engaged in a deep change process, and that the work has produced...
Leadership isn't a journey for one.
Escape the chaos. Transform yourself. Lead well.
