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Feelings Engaging Differences
Most leaders are trained to be cognitively and behaviorally competent - to think clearly and to exercise skills in leading communities, teaching, preaching, and guiding worship. Few of us are taught the skills of "emotional competence" - i.e., knowing and expressing our feelings, and knowing how others’ feelings assist or hinder community health, growth, and mission.
I help people gain emotional or affective competence.
My work takes many forms: consulting, training, retreats, executive couching, peer supervision groups, presentations, keynote addresses, and writing. Sometimes I work alone; other times I work with colleagues from VISIONS, Inc.
As past president of the Academy of Religious Leadership and a current member of the editorial board of the Journal of Religious Leadership, I am committed to learning with colleagues and publishing creative work in the field of religious leadership.
My passion is helping people talk about and work across significant differences with a focus on the role of feelings in understanding and valuing differences.
For the last 19 years, I taught courses in creativity, leadership, and multicultural studies. I trained over 150 clergy and lay leaders to supervise paid staff, interns, and volunteers in ministry settings. I drew upon my newly two decades of congregational leadership, campus chaplaincy, and mental health ministry.
Now I am bringing skill sets I learned to local settings in order to build capacity for lasting change. The goal is more responsive, creative, and robust communities.
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Facing Feelings in Faith Communities is based on a simple premise: We have emotions because we need them. God created us as emotionally competent beings to help us understand our world and to give appropriate signals to people around us about what we experience. When we express our feelings clearly, others can more easily respond in ways that are helpful, enhancing our relationships and work we do together. Read more about this resource here » |
Congregational Resources for Facing Feelings is a companion collection to Facing Feelings in Faith Communities. Read more about this resource here » |
Theologically and ecologically, differences foster life and growth, but discord within communities of faith and denominations frequently have to do with the inability of individuals and groups to deeply understand and value differences. Even in congregations that on the surface appear to be homogenous, a multitude of differences exist - differences that can add value. Read more about this resource here » |
Raising Awareness and Understanding of Differences
Resources for Embracing Diversity
Through this website, I offer resources to assist leaders and communities in enhancing creativity and resolving conflict. These solutions lead to added value and deeper relationships. They also energize individuals to collaboratively formulate and implement goals. The results are more effective individuals and communities. This work is accomplished by developing emotional competence throughout the community or organization, enhancing communication at all levels, and paying careful attention to the processes and rhythms of change.
Leading toward Creativity, Renewal, Vitality, and Growth
This site offers resources to embrace our true multiculturalism — our differences of race, gender, age, theology, language, sexual identity and orientation, class, position within the organization or community — to name a few.
I explore differences on four levels — personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural, thus demonstrating a threefold process for becoming multicultural:
- recognizing our differences;
- understanding those differences and their significance and consequences; and
- valuing or celebrating those differences.
Ministry is the work of the entire faith community, agency, or organizaion, not solely ordained or professional staff. It is critical that leaders and communities learn the art and skill of recognizing, understanding, and valuing differences. Then the congregations and communities they serve can be the yeast that raises this awareness of God’s diverse blessings in the wider world.