Systemic Work with Organizations A New Model for Managers and Change Agents

Systemic Work with Organizations explores a powerful new perspective on the challenges faced by managers and consultants who work in large organizations. Building on principles and methods originally developed in the family arena, the authors show how an emphasis on connection, context and communication can help managers and others involved in change, deal with issues of identity, leadership, and learning faced by staff in today's complex work environment.The main thesis is that one way cause and effect thinking and a central focus on the role of the individual, is no longer sufficient. Managers and change agents now need to make use of the insights and interventions offered by a systemic perspective that highlights the roles played by circularity and reflexivity in how people construct shared meaning in human systems.In early chapters the three authors develop bridges between the family and organizational fields, exploring the ideas and methods of systemic and constructionist thinking in preparation for the three detailed case studies which illustrate systemic thinking in action.

Editors' Foreword , Introduction , Approach—Adapting Theory to a New Context , Key concepts of systemic thinking , Application of systemic concepts in organizational work , Praxis—The Constructionist Approach in Action , A Board-level consultation , A work-team consultation , A whole-organization consultation , Methodology—Developing Constructionist Capabilities , The methodology so far . . . , Getting started , Learning to take up the constructionist position , Postscript

David Campbell