Jim, I think we all have some sort of family of origin issues. Even after
we think we resolve them through growth, therapy or whatever, we respond
to some stimuli as we would to this issue. I think a start is to realize
that we ALL have this problem although it shows up differently in each
person. For me, I try to see where my reactions aren't appropriate for
the situation. In a team that provides a safe situation - team members
and supervisors can help perform this role. But this is only possible if
the culture develops trust and makes it OK to be who we are. There is
some point in each of us where the square peg can't be shaved anymore in
an attempt to fit the round hole. Sometimes we have to accept that some
parts of each of us will never change; that this is just who we are.
Family of origin issues are often too ingrained to be completedly
eliminated; we must simply seek to control the damage we inflict on others
and apologize when we know we have caused a problem.
At 08:28 PM 10/4/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Thanks to Benjamin B. Compton for his courageous discussion of the impact
>that our family of origin has on our ability to embrace the disciplines of
>the learning organization - especially personal mastery. I come from a
>similar background. It was about 15 years ago that I got the help that he
>describes having gotten.
>
>I lead a team of about 90 people where we are diligently seeking to
>mastery the lo disciplines - and inevitably, I find that many people with
>unresolved family of origin issues find authentic dialogue extremely
>difficult. It seems that dialogue requires a certain amount of courage,
>self-confidence, and trust. All of those attributes were missing in my
>life until I got some specific help with my family of origin issues.
>
>So, what does all that mean? If you have people in your organization with
>unresolved family of origin issues, can you not create a learning
>organization? How are others out there dealing with this issue?
>
>Jim Herrington
>JTHuba@aol.com
--Ann Reilly <areilly@amfam.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>