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Leadership and the
New Science
Wheatley, M.J.
(1992) Leadership and the New Science. Berrett-Koehler
Pushing the thinking about people
and organizations into a new dimension.
Leadership and the New Science
challenges the reader to think about organizations and leadership in
a completely new way than ever before. Margaret Wheatley has
used scientific themes such as quantum physics, chemistry, and
mathematics to push the reader to a new line of thinking.
The switch from looking at
organizations as machines with each separate part working to achieve
a goal is being made. Wheatley describes relationships as the
new focus in organizations. A new perspective is suggested to
be made on groups and the way that they operate versus the
individual. Her use of scientific themes to explain this new
focus challenges the reader to make the comparison. While
highly theoretical and abstract, Wheatley makes the clear statement
about where organizations are headed in the future.
The idea that chaos occurs
frequently and is actually orderly is discussed. The
organization is suggested to operate as a self organizing system
which fixes itself inevitably. The scientific paradoxes that
exist and are difficult to understand are related to the
organizational setting.
Information is explained to be an
energy that forms physical structures. Changing information
results in changing physical structure. A new way of accepting
information is suggested and a more subjective view of its power
should be used in the organization of today. Information is
another source of power that when harnessed can be used
constructively to create a powerful organization.
Wheatley has painted a brand-new
picture of business management. This new relationship between
business and science creates a new way of looking at the
organization. Her ideas on systems analysis, information flow
and team work are novel, however the new way of thinking may be
difficult to follow and require concentration and even a re-read.
Despite the complexities, this is a definite must read for those who
wish to view their organization in a different light.
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