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Systems Thinking for Curious Managers - Reviews
In the Top 15 Systems Thinking Books
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "If ever there was a management thinker to make a manager curious it is Russell L Ackoff, the author of Systems Thinking for Curious Managers: With 40 New Management F-Laws. He along with others such as Deming, Drucker, Maslow and Senge have long propounded systems thinking and could be said to be the godfathers of it. Given this pedigree it is surprising perhaps that systems thinking is not more pervasive. The principle behind it is straightforwars – design organisational systems focused on the customer and not the organisation. It is a statement of the obvious. Sometimes it takes the statement of the obvious, however, to make managers recognise the flaws in their thinking. Ackoff recognised this and produced his original F-Laws which this book extends with 40 more. He does not provide pages of detailed rationale for each law but in just a few paragraphs he makes readers think about their flaws. This is a rare skill and shows Ackoff’s understanding of managers. A short book, it is capable of being opened at any page and giving something to the reader. As an example take F-Law 101: “Benchmarking is a not very subtle form of imitation. It condemns organisations to following not leading.” Curious managers will want to find out more about this law and many more. Leaders will recognise F-Laws as a lever to change their organisation. It is vital to recognise, however, that systems thinking often requires fundamental organisational cultural change. This book may be the start of such a journey for many." Malcolm Morley ~ managers.org.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "...this new book Systems Thinking For Curious Managers, is an excellent contribution to systems thinking and serves as a fitting tribute to his legacy. This book is a short and very accessible read. Ackoff and his co-authors, Herbert J. Addison and Andrew Carey, provide an exceptional overview of the basics of general systems as they specifically relate to business and organizations. They hit all the basics with succinct treatments of systems principles such as feedback loops, tropisms, self-organization, interconnectedness, equifinality, events vs. systems, and parts vs. the whole. They also provide excellent references for those that might want to learn more about the origins, principles and practices of systems thinking. Here is a definition of systems and systems thinking that is as simple yet complete as any you will find:
...This book is a gem both for those familiar with and those new to systems thinking. It is well worth the two hours it will take you to read it." Bret Simmons ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "This book can be successfully read in a single sitting of 2-3 hours, although longer is required to absorb the many nuggets of useful information that can be extracted by any practicing manager." David Hancock - Action Learning Journal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A wonderful exposition of the art of systems thinking by the guru of systems thinking. Ackoff's f-Laws are brilliant bites of understanding that all managers, and particularly leaders, should be familiar with. Well worth the price and the time to read this slim volume." Neil Wyse |
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