Extraordinary Leadership: Thinking Systems, Making a Difference

Today’s leaders face increased individual and societal anxiety that affects all their organizations. Unfortunately, their training has not provided them with any understanding or guidelines that show how to manage themselves in the emotional chaos and anxiety intensities.

Bowen family systems theory provides the needed understanding. It has proven itself amazingly effective, not only in families, but also in non-family groups: businesses, institutions, and congregations.

 Extraordinary Leadership examines organizations as emotional systems through the lens of Bowen theory. This Bowen theory approach has demonstrated extraordinary success over the past seven years in Extraordinary Leadership Seminars for clergy. The types of questions addressed include:

The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory       
Bowen Theory is a new way of thinking about human interaction. It is a lens that clarifies the emotional side of families, organizations, and even society itself. It has given thousands of individuals and families a blueprint for improving their relationships, stabilizing their families and reaching their long term goals.

Knowledge about human relationships and groups is probably the most desperate need of today's world. Clinically, Bowen theory has shown its usefulness over and over again. Is it as effective in organizations — businesses, universities, and congregations — as it has been in families? Professionals, executives, and clergy are responding with a resounding affirmative. They are finding, as have their coaches, that relationship patterns, maturity, immaturity, and the effects of anxiety can be found in any group of people that spends time together.

They are also learning that they themselves are an important key to what happens in the system. Their leadership relationships (like those of parents) set the emotional tone for the organization. Like parents in a highfunctioning family, they see the value of their calm connections within their organizations as well as in their own families. Bowen theory enables them to truly "be the best they can be" and significantly increase their leadership performance in both small and large groups.

Extraordinary Relationships
Turn any Relationship into an Extraordinary Relationship. After food, water, and shelter, relationships are the most important factors in determining your quality of life. At work, productivity and efficiency depend on relationships. At home, relationships with your spouse, children, and friends are keys to success and happiness. And among nations, relationships start and stop wars. This invaluable guide shows that only by further developing yourself can you further develop your relationships. Based on the innovative family systems theory pioneered by the late Dr. Murray Bowen, this important and penetrating book offers practical and authoritative family therapy advice that has helped thousands of people throughout the last three decades. It’s a blueprint to better relationships that tells how the principles of family systems theory can be used in all arenas of your life, including intimate relationships, friendships, family relationships, single life, workplace relationships, international relationships, and your relationship with yourself.

Extraordinary Relationships (CD)

All the valuable information contained in Dr. Gilberts popular book is now available on audio CD.

What people say

"A perfect and unpretentious primer of family relationships, a relief to read."
— Dr. Walter Toman, Professor Emeritus, Erlangen-Nürnberg University, Germany, and author of Family Constellation

"A refreshing alternative to common self-help approaches."
— Michael E. Kerr, M.D., Director, Georgetown Family Center, Washington, D.C. and coauthor with Dr. Murray Bowen of Family Evaluation.

Connecting with our Children
Parents want a special relationship with their children. Parents care. They want to guide their children through the rough spots in life and help them make the right decisions. Research shows that a special parental connection is extremely important in safeguarding children against dangers such as substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, criminal activity, and suicide. This is more important than ever before in today’s troubled world. But what does making this connection mean? Based on Bowen family systems theory, Connecting with Our Children shows parents how to build the connection found in better relationships. Now parents have a new way to think about and respond to family problems.

Connecting with our Children (CD)           

Listen to Dr. Gilbert's popular book, containing valuable insights on developing a strong relationship with your children. Now available on audio CD.

Connecting with our Children (DVD)
A talk given at a conference in Grand Rapids about guiding principles for parents in a troubled world, based on the book with additional material.

A Systems View of Human Variation (DVD)

Lecture on the Scale of Differentiation of Self

Becoming an Extraordinary Leader (DVD)

Principles of Bowen family systems theory applied to the challenges of Leadership and a summary of steps people take toward becoming a high level leader.

Grand Rapids Mentoring Conference.