We've been focused on leadership in our own little part of the world but when we watch the news or see what people post on social media, we find ourselves wondering, “What is going on in the big picture?” 

Maybe a better question is, “What happens to us collectively, as a society, when we go through a time like this?” What happens when we get to the 30,000-foot view?

Systems thinking can help us with this. In this episode, we laugh a lot as we talk about one of the lesser-known principles of systems theory—societal regression—as we look at the ways that our collective anxiety shows up in some patterned and predictable ways—conflict, distance, polarization, and blame. We also talk about how to be the kind of leader that our society needs right now.

Conversation Overview

• Bowen’s 8th concept of emotional process in society
• Symptoms we can see
• The vicious cycle
• Looking at ourselves—how we contribute to the reactivity and how we can respond differently

Resources:

For a  short and accessible explanation of societal emotional process theory, we recommend chapter 8 of The 8 Concepts of Bowen Theory by Roberta Gilbert. 

For a deeper dive and for the information Mike referenced, you can go to: Family Therapy in Clinical Practice by Murray Bowen (p. 279) and Family Evaluation by Michael Kerr and Murray Bowen (pp. 342-343). 

About Michael De Ruyter

Michael has been a Pastor for over 20 years. He attended Calvin College and Calvin Seminary (Grand Rapids, MI) and Fuller Seminary (Pasadena, CA). He is passionate about how people grow and change and how churches can walk along with someone on the journey towards a flourishing and whole life.

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