The Emotionally Healthy Leader by Peter Scazzero
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Face Your Shadow
Read Chapter 1 of The Emotionally Healthy Leader. Key passages: Genesis 37-50 (Joseph's story); Psalm 139:23-24
Previewing Week 2 of The Emotionally Healthy Leader
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
The shadow is the part of ourselves we don't want to see — and Scazzero argues it is precisely there that the most transformative leadership work begins.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Scazzero borrows the term "shadow" from depth psychology to describe the parts of ourselves that are hidden, denied, or unexamined. In your own words, how would you define what a leader's shadow is?
2.He argues that our shadows don't disappear when we become Christians or enter ministry — they go underground and find new, religious-looking expressions. What are some examples he gives of how a leader's shadow can wear spiritual clothing?
3.Scazzero traces the origins of our shadow to our family of origin — the messages, wounds, coping mechanisms, and unspoken rules we absorbed growing up.
a.What are one or two "rules" or patterns from your family of origin that you have carried (often unconsciously) into your leadership?
b.How have those patterns shaped the culture of the team or community you lead?