The Case of The Dirty Coffee Cup

In any company, no matter the business, a powerful factor is the quality of relationships. This is doubly true in family businesses. Relationships of high trust, wise discernment, and bold candor can yield business outcomes like nowhere else. On the other hand, company cultures with ignored elephants in every room, where the shadows of old resentments haunt every meeting, can mean missed opportunities and demoralized employees. Leaders motivated to see the complexity in the field of relationships more clearly often adopt the framework of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Originally a model used for family therapy, Bowen Theory has long been applied to the workplace, as a way for people to see and make sense of what they observe--and to manage themselves more effectively amidst it all.

In this session, Jake Morrill (Generation to Generation Leadership Coaching) will use a case study--"The Case of the Dirty Coffee Cup"--to illustrate how applying concepts of Bowen Theory can help leaders make sense of their own situation. Throughout and after the presentation, active discussion and input is welcome!

Jake Morrill is founder and lead coach of Generation to Generation Leadership Coaching, which helps family businesses realize greater emotional maturity through relationship management skills. A former pastor and licensed marital and family therapist, Jake is on the Faculty of the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family, where he teaches and researches on the intersection of family and business, through a systems lens.