What is Systems Theory in Leadership?
A system is a group of parts that work independently but function together dependently to achieve a common goal. For instance, a car is a collection of automotive parts that function together to run the car. Systems theory is the study of the organization and the working together of independent parts of different types and substances. It studies the common characteristics of the parts and creates models to describe them. Systems theory in connection to leadership examines a system, for instance, in the area of management science such as a business organization. Leaders or managers in the business context use systems theory to understand the systemic nature of the organization; this understanding helps them guide the organization to its optimal operation. In other leadership situations, the understanding of systems lies in contradistinction to the traditional linear model in which the world is reduced to a collection of unrelated elements operating independently of the other parts.
