The Need:

Our nation’s clergy is in crisis.

Ministers, priests and rabbis are resigning in record numbers. Many reach only a fraction of their potential. A large percentage burn out shortly after leaving seminary.

Churches and synagogues are stuck in patterns of emotional intensity and ineffectiveness. Denominations are shrinking.

What is the problem?

Nothing in the training of clergy and other leaders prepares them to understand or deal with the emotional side of congregations.

Extraordinary Leadership Can Be Learned:

Extraordinary Leadership Seminars provide clergy and all leaders with an understanding of the emotional side of organizations and tools to manage themselves in this emotional chaos.

Extraordinary Leadership Seminars are based on Bowen family systems theory.

While begun for church leaders, others are taking advantage of the seminars in increasing numbers. The seminars offer both didactic teaching and group coaching.

The seminars have been extremely effective in helping people to understand and move effectively in their personal, family, and organizational systems.

 Oft-Heard Participants Comments:

Text Box: “The work in family systems theory has given me hope of staying on as a pastor.”

  “Thank you for opening the door to a new way of being in the world.” . . .  “The work in family systems theory has given me hope of staying on as a pastor.”  . . .  “In thirty years of ministry, this is the most valuable continuing education I have ever taken.” . . .  “My congregation is a different congregation. Chaos and bickering has disappeared and people are positively engaged in different ministries.”

Text Box: “In thirty years of ministry, this is the most valuable continuing education I have ever taken.”

 

 

 

Key Seminar Concepts:

 

Typical Situations Brought to Coaching:

Who Should Participate?

The seminar is tailored for clergy and open to all denominations and faiths.

Format

Nine days each year feature didactic training and discussions in the morning, video at lunch, and group coaching in the afternoon.

Individual coaching included or can be arranged with coach. Three year rotating curriculum can be entered in any year. One year commitment at a time.

Tuition:

The cost for the program is $2,000.00.  This includes lectures, group coaching sessions and 5 individual coaching sessions. The tuition is due before the seminar begins. A deposit of $400.00 will reserve a spot with the balance due before the seminar begins.

*Virginia United Methodist Clergy can apply to be fully subsidized through the Office of Ministerial Service. Clergy may download an application for funding from www.vaumc.org  Clergy Development Application. Please note applications must be submitted and reviewed. Funding is not guaranteed. Contact Person is Rev. Beth Downs.

**Scholarships are now available for District Superintendents of the United Methodist Church. Please contact the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for more information.

Description:

The Extraordinary Leadership Seminar is designed to be somewhat different every year through a 3-year cycle. The basics of theory are reinforced each year.
 
As people gain familiarity with theory and apply it in their lives, overall functioning improves in leadership and in personal life. The program is designed to meet individual needs. One may stay in the program as long as desired. A minimum commitment of three years is strongly recommended but each year is designed to stand alone in case three years cannot be completed.
 
The training includes nine lecture sessions per year as well as additional coaching groups. 
 
 Coaching, in small groups of 3-6 people lasts from 1.5 to 3 hours depending on the group size. Trainees present cases from pastoral counseling, organizations or their own families. Individual coaching is available to each trainee between meetings.


 
 Training Based on Bowen Family Systems Theory
 Extraordinary Leadership Seminar for Clergy
 Who Should Participate?
 Unique Course Design Maximizes Individual Results
 The Seminars Are Not
 Small Group Coaching Sessions
 Typical situation brought to coaching
 Key Seminar Content
 
 Training Based on Bowen Family Systems Theory

Extraordinary Leadership seminars offers individual and group coaching to church leaders, clergy, lay leaders and non-clergy leaders. This training is derived from Bowen family systems theory, shown to be most effective in helping people understand family, personal, and organizational systems.
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 Understanding and using Bowen theory leads to improved individual functioning and leadership effectiveness in the important relationship systems of life.
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 Extraordinary Leadership Seminar for Clergy is Designed to


 • Enhance Sureness
 • Promote New Ways of Thinking About Management
 • Enhance Leadership Potential Within Congregations and Organizations
 • Improve Counseling Skills
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 Who Should Participate?
This seminar is open to all in a leadership position, including parents, the leaders of the family.
 
• Clergy in Congregations

• Executive Clergy
• Pastors-in-Training*
• Special Sessions for Bishops and Denominational executives
• Lay Leaders
• Executives

• Managers

• Parents


 *Academic credit is available through a seminary upon request. Please make your request during enrollment.
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 Unique Course Design Maximizes Individual Results

 As people gain facility with theory and apply it in their lives, overall functioning in leadership and in basic living improves. The program is designed to meet individual needs. One may stay in the program as long as desired, though a minimum commitment of three years is strongly recommended. Each year is designed to stand alone in case three years cannot be completed.
 
 • Nine monthly lecture and coaching sessions per year
 • Monthly one-on-one individual session in full program
 
Group coaching sessions are held each seminar afternoon, and last from 1.5 to 3 hours depending on group size. Trainees present cases from pastoral counseling, organizations or their own family dilemmas and research. Individual coaching is available to each trainee with the same coach between meetings.
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 The Seminars Are Not
 

 • A Quick Fix
 • Glitzy
 • Superficial
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 Small Group Coaching Sessions
 

 • Bring theory to real-life
 • Highlight real-world problems and how to manage them
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 Typical Situations Brought to Coaching
 

 • The non-functioning congregation or organization
 • The stirred up/anxious congregation  or organization

 • The conflicted congregation or organization
 • The "Clergy Killer” Phenomenon
 • Family disruptions disturbances

 • How our own family experience and current situations impact leadership
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Key Seminar Content
What Leaders Need to Know about Human Systems


• Organizations are emotional systems and exactly what that means
• How focus on others affects them

• High level functioning, low level functioning, in life, and in leadership
• The heritage of an organization is unique and makes a difference
• Stress and how it responds to principles and managing oneself well in relationships
• The challenges of society

The Concept of “Self” and Why It Matters


• The Scale of Differentiation of Self
• Relationships, Differentiation and Fusions
• Basic Self and Pseudo-Self
• Managing and Improving Function of Self in Systems

High Level of Selves as Leaders in Their Systems


• Leadership- High and Low Levels
• Hierarchy
• Building a System to Its Peak Level
• How Leaders Impact the System

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For more information or to apply, contact the Center for the Study of Human Systems or click here to register online.