My son is currently working towards his Bachelor of Commerce degree. As part of his studies, he’s been taking courses on leadership. He’s been delving into a variety of readings related to leadership development, approaches, and styles from sources like the Harvard Business Review and his course textbook, Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead.
The other day, he asked me a challenging question: if I had to pick one leadership book to recommend, what would it be? There are so many exceptional leadership books, each offering unique insights into how we might show up as leaders at different stages in our careers. If I had to pick just one, I would recommend Margaret J. Wheatley’s Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World. It’s hard to believe, but this classic was first published in 1999. I’m definitely showing my age here, as I recall my first reading of this book back in the early days of my first formalized leadership role, right at the turn of the 20th century.
Despite the years, I continue to recommend this book to my coaching clients, my staff, and my graduate students. If you’ve read it, you know why it is so highly regarded. There are numerous valuable insights in Wheatley’s book, however given the rapid changes we have experienced since the pandemic, the great resignation, hybrid workplaces, and the ubiquity of artificial intelligence, I want to highlight her approach to systems thinking. Adjusting to change has become our new norm and as leaders and developing leaders’ systems thinking can help us.
Systems thinking, as articulated by Wheatley, is a holistic approach that emphasizes understanding the interrelationships and interconnectedness of components within a system rather than analyzing parts in isolation. What does Wheatley mean by this?
Systems thinking in a nutshell
Interconnectedness and Interdependence
Embrace Complexity
Leaders cannot easily predict behaviors or outcomes by examining individual parts. Being open to embracing complexity and uncertainty helps us navigate the dynamics rather than trying to control or oversimplify the structures we work in.
Feedback loops
Feedback loops are crucial in systems thinking. They help to understand how information, resources, and energy circulate within our organization. Wheatley explains that positive feedback loops can amplify changes, while negative feedback loops can stabilize the system. By this she means, that negative feedback loops should give us a moment of pause and for reflection to double check our approach and clarify. Paying attention to these loops can help leaders foster resilience and adaptability within their organizations.
Nonlinearity
Wheatley points out that systems often behave in nonlinear ways, meaning that small changes can lead to disproportionately large effects. This nonlinearity challenges traditional linear cause-and-effect thinking and requires us to be more flexible and responsive to unexpected developments.
Self-Organization
A key aspect of systems thinking discussed by Wheatley is self-organization, the ability of a system to spontaneously arrange and reorganize itself without external direction. This principle suggests that organizations and teams can naturally find their own order and solutions if they are given autonomy and a supportive environment. So with managing change, giving our staff or teams some agency in that change can foster engagement and accountability.
Holistic Perspective
Foundational to systems thinking, Wheatley tells us is a holistic perspective, where leaders look at the system as a whole rather than focusing on individual parts. This involves understanding the purpose, values, and culture that drive the system and considering how different elements contribute to the overall functioning and health of our organizations.
Collaboration and Participation
In systems thinking, collaboration and participation are essential. The best way to do this according to Wheatley is to engage with diverse stakeholders and foster open communication for better understanding and more robust, sustainable solutions. This inclusive approach helps to harness the collective intelligence and creativity of those who make up our systems, our organizations.
Wheatley’s book has enriched my understanding of leadership in times of rapid change. If you are looking to deepen your knowledge of systems thinking, embrace uncertainty, cultivate authentic relationships, and lead with purpose, you may find Wheatley’s writings a valuable source of inspiration in your leadership journey.
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