Extraordinary Leadership: Thinking Systems, Making a Difference (Perfect Paperback)

~ (Author) "Clergy people, for the most part, are wonderful people..." (more)
Key Phrases: group emotional process, many clergy people, equal posture, Real Life Research, Family Therapy, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Today's leaders face increased individual and societal anxiety that affects 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 intensity. Bowen family systems theory provides the needed understanding. It has proven itself enormously effective not only in families, but also in non-family groups as businesses, institutions, and congregations. Extraordinary Leadership examines organizations as emotional systems through the lens of Bowen theory. The types of questions addressed include: What is an emotional system? How do leaders handle themselves in stirred up organizations? What are high-level and low-level leaders? Do organizations need principles? What about difficult people? What is a relationship master? As the subtitle suggests, Extraordinary Leadership teaches leaders how to think systems and how that makes a difference.

About the Author

Dr. Roberta Gilbert is a psychiatrist in Falls Church, Virginia. She divides her time between teaching and directing at the Center for the Study of Human Systems, private practice, and faculty responsibilities of the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family at Georgetown in Washington DC. Dr. Gilbert's unusual ability to condense and clarify the concepts of Bowen theory shines forth in her other successful books: Extraordinary Relationships, Connecting With Our Children, and The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Leading Systems Press; 1 edition (December 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976345528
• ISBN-13: 978-0976345527
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #103,422 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptionally reliable, readable and helpful., February 7, 2007

By	Oren J. Foust, Jr. (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the long awaited text for the first year of Dr. Gilbert's 3 year leadership seminars. Here leadership is grounded in a solidly scientific theory of human relationships. As such, it scintilates with insight. Like her other presentations of Bowen Family Systems Theory, this slim tome is exceptionally applicable, faithful to theory, engaging and succinct, without sacrificing depth. It is hard to beat Dr. Gilbert's introductions for reliable, pithy and helpful interpretation of a most original coherent theory of human functioning. For the novice to Family Systems theory, any of Dr. Gilbert's books are good places to start. Keep Bowen's "Family Therapy in Clinical Practice" in one hand, and one of Dr. Gilbert's books in the other.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great ideas, September 13, 2009

By	Peter H. Davids "Non-anxious healing presence" (St. Stephen, New Brunswick) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While the writing style is a bit enthusiastic for this reviewer's taste, the grasp of Bowen theory and its application to leadership is very good and the work is quite readable. This work makes is a very readable, comprehensive introduction to the application of Bowen theory to leadership and thus in this reviewer's perspective, a good introduction to the meaning and practice of leadership.