ABSTRACT
Systems thinking is the thought process that seeks to understand the entire system through assessing how the individual components interact. The tree is part of a larger forest system and the forest part of an even larger ecosystem. Some people may be able to complete their jobs by focusing on individual components of their work system. They must be like systems engineers and understand how the pieces react with one another. Forward leading companies seeking to move beyond average recognize the incompatibility of top-down hierarchical structures with the agility required in today’s marketspace. The quantity of information to be processed, education, and different values and beliefs of a younger work force are just some of the paradigms challenging the continued efficacy of this structure. Senior leaders must establish a clear purpose for the company, with documented core values and beliefs that drive behavior and challenge the organization to achieve breakthrough goals.
