Weekly Journal 11-14-00

Section 1:  Preparation for class

In chapter 6 Friedman discusses how his model differs from social science assumptions in the following ways.  It views families and institutions in terms of emotional processes, It views the past as a continuous process that goes well beyond the impact of the previous generation, and It emphasizes the unity of life's processes.

In chapter 7 Friedman discusses the "laws" of emotional triangles as being how they form, how they operate, their self-organization and distance, and their interlocking nature.  Examples of how the emotional triangles of any relationship system interlock are through family life, sports and other teams, and corporate life.

In chapter 8 Friedman discusses will-conflict saying it is always present in the failure to make headway against the riptides of resistance.  He further states that one can go with the flow and still take the lead by positioning oneself in such a way that the natural forces of emotional life carry you in the right direction.

In chapter 9 Friedman discusses leadership through self-differentiation in terms of management of Information, management of the Relationship System, management of Anxiety, and management of Self.  He also discusses sabotage indicating that self-differentiation always triggers reactivity.

In chapter 10 Friedman discusses "Persistence of form" citing is as of  extraordinary importance for leaders.  He believed what they are up against goes beyond the way things are organized pointing to the premis that the nature of connections in the present can have more to do with what has been transmitted successively for many generations than with the logic of their contemporary relationship.

Section 2:  Reflections

When reading this week, I began to think about the influence that our past has upon us.  I have always said that we are products of our environment but have never considered what has past as part of that environment.  However, this makes sense to me.  We learn "ways of thinking" from our parents and then pass it on to our children.  It appears to me that this is a self-perpetuating cycle that may continue indefinitely without most of us even knowing about it.

Section 3:  Applications

I believe the best way to put the previous reflection into practice (application) is to be aware of it.  Simply realizing that I take a certain opinion largely because it is instilled within me at the very least allows me to make a more objective decision regarding that belief.

< Back