ABSTRACT
Usually, events—surprises—arise because managers did not fully understand how their organizations worked—how their management systems, technologies, and social norms influenced performance in the workplace. Using three models of performance—the Systems Thinking Model, the Alignment Model, and the Work Execution Process—this chapter describes the flows of influence over people’s behavior choices as well as the effectiveness of defenses. These performance models, based on systems thinking, aid managers in thinking about and managing human and organizational performance. This chapter serves as a prerequisite for the following chapters on Systems Learning and Managing Human Performance.
