Systems Caring

As leaders, our ability to zoom-in to examine situations closely is highly refined. However, less sophisticated is our ability to zoom-out using boundary spanning perspectives to see the larger context and to explore interdependent relationships. Therefore, leaders require a macroscope. Systems thinking is a boundary spanning leadership practice that enables leaders at any level to develop their macroscopic view and to lead change. This article provides an overview of 5 systems thinking principles and the rationale for how they complement the work of the leader. Specifically, the article presents the Systems Principles of Openness, Purposefulness, Multidimensionality, Emergence, and Counter-intuitiveness.