The primary function of leadership is to work on the leadership system—the stable structures of the organisation that influence the behavioural patterns. In this way they can guard and develop the functionality of the system as a whole.
This involves building the organisation-wide capability to discern the patterns at play, find out what drives them, and to determine strategies to guide them in the desired direction.
We believe that organisations need leaders who resemble detectives more than captains. This marks a significant departure from the traditional image of the heroic leader that is common nowadays — the archetypical hero leader depicted as the master of his domain, steering his ship with absolute control. In reality, he is often just ensnared by the illusion of control.
In contrast, we think that it is essential for leaders to develop a curiosity about the dynamic and organic nature of organisations more than anything else. Therefore, what organisations really need from their leaders is an increased understanding of the workings of the organisation.
Integrating systems theory into your thinking about leadership, means developing a curiosity about how your organisation actually works, and how leadership fits into this dynamic. Systems theory provides a framework to start seeing the intricate dynamics within your organisation and understand your organisation as a complex social system. A system which you can only change through constantly testing and observing its reactions.
This comprehensive understanding is essential for tackling challenges successfully. It explains why obvious change initiatives fail, or why seemingly illogical behavior within your organisation persists. This way of thinking equips you with the cognitive tools to navigate the organisational labyrinth with more precision and effectiveness.
Any leadership training that does not take this systemic perspective into account will not deliver the impact you are aiming for.
The only way to find the time to invest in the leadership system is by making time for it!
There is always something urgent to do, there is always some operational deadline and it never seems the right time to lean back and reflect on the how of working together.
But, once you experience what it can do for your organisation, you realise that you should make the time!
Emergent properties cannot be planned. Learning about when to plan and when to experiment is one of the main ways to make leadership more efficient.
The efficiency of leadership development cannot be planned. Will it resonate? Will it translate from the training room into the organisation? Will it have the intended impact?
Experiment, check and adapt!
Leaders must develop the systemic acuity to understand how context shapes behaviour before they decide who should change in which way.
Systemically, every behavioural pattern, how problematic it may seem, is seen as a solution to an underlying issue. Trying to change the individuals exhibiting the behaviour, is not going to change the underlying issue and it will show up again.
Focus on understanding the context.
The Leadership Lab is an immersive, experiential journey designed to empower the decision-makers in your organisation with a deep understanding of applied organisational systems theory. Our approach is incremental and highly adaptive and eschews templatised PowerPoint sessions in favour of dynamic, interactive experiences tailored to your unique organisational context.
Contact us to work out what your Leadership Lab could look like.
The Leadership Lab combines theoretical insights, activites, and practical experimentation into a cohesive learning experience. As you delve into the theoretical foundations of organisational systems theory, you simultaneously engage in small, carefully designed organisational experiments. This experiential learning approach ensures that your understanding of complex organisational dynamics deepens in tandem with hands-on application.
Central to our methodology is the goal of increasing your organisation's ability to sense and reflect on itself. Through ongoing reflection exercises integrated into every aspect of the Leadership Lab, your organisation will develop the capacity for more informed decision-making and adaptive strategies, crucial for long-term success.
The Leadership Lab is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We tailor our sessions to meet your specific needs and challenges, ensuring that the learning experience resonates with your organisational environment. Whether integrated with our organisational development consulting services for a comprehensive solution or undertaken independently, the Leadership Lab provides the flexibility and tools you need to drive transformative change from within.
By participating in the Leadership Lab, decision-makers will grow their theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and reflective capabilities hand in hand, leading to a more resilient and adaptive organisation.
The requirements of every organisation are different, so we will have to work out the frequency and type of engagement that works for you. Typically we would meet with the leadership team on a regular basis, initiate larger group open space sessions, and together plan organisational information sessions.