In response to Dave Buffenberger and his discussion of being vs. doing,
The Bowenian school of family therapy talks a lot about this concept and
Edwin Friedman who is a disciple of Murry Bowen has a book entitled
"Generation To Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue". What
Friedman has tried to do is take Bowenian Family Systems Theory and apply
it to organizations.
Some of the key concepts of this systems theory as applied to family and
organizational systems include triangulation, multigenerational
transmission process, and differentiation. Differentiation refers to the
capacity of the individual to define his or her life goals and values
apart from the surrounding togetherness pressures. It includes the
capacity to maintain a relatively non anxious presence in the midst of
anxious systems. Differentiation describes the functioning of the
individual in the system in a sense as autonomous and not enmeshed in the
undifferentiated ego mass of the family or group.
Degree of differentiation refers to the idea: to what extent are you a
member of the herd and to what extent are you your own person?
Jesus said to be in the world but not of the world. Good leaders have the
ability to be there for their people and yet they find their strength and
their reference point to some extent outside the group.
-- David Markham DavidM1225@aol.com"My mama told me Cause she say she learned the hard way Say she want to spare the children She say don't give or sell your soul away Cause all that you have is your soul." Tracy Chapman