The Family Leader

Post Date November 11, 2019
Comments 0 Comments
Author
Category Leadership, Stephanie Ferrera

Leaders are often described in terms of their individual characteristics:  special talents or knowledge, confidence, charisma, organizing ability and especially the ability to excite others around an important mission.  Some are “born leaders” and others work at developing leadership skills.  Leadership and followership are reciprocal functions in human systems. Leadership training programs abound, but I know of none on followership training which may be equally important.  One cannot lead if no one follows.

Read More »

“Hillbilly Elegy” meets Bowen Theory

Post Date June 27, 2018
Comments 0 Comments
Author
Category Bowen Family Systems Theory, Differentiation of Self, Family Emotional Process, Jim Edd Jones

J.D. Vance, author of the memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, is, by any measure, functionally successful:  a marine who served in Iraq, graduate of Ohio State, graduate of Yale Law School, and an editor on the Yale Law Journal.  Yet, his nuclear family of origin and extended family are low in level of differentiation.  Not the lowest, but low.  Individually, he’s probably somewhat higher than the system as a whole.

Read More »

Ethical Wills: A Tool For Self Definition

Post Date March 24, 2018
Comments 2 Comments
Author
Category Differentiation of Self, Eric L. Weiner

Authored By Eric L. Weiner, M.S.W., Ph.D.

As families consider options for the distribution of assets to the next generation, most of the emphasis is on the tangible assets. Many people, however, view wealth as more than money and real estate. Wealth, for them, includes passing on their wisdom, guiding principles, spiritual beliefs, and family heritage to the next generation. One way to do that is by writing an ethical will.

Ethical wills have a long and rich history. They were first described in the Old Testament …

Read More »