Seeing Systems : Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life

''Seeing Systems'' is the most accessible, penetrating book available on the dynamics of systems. In it, Oshry explains why so many efforts at creating more satisfying and productive systems end in disappointment, and proposes an entirely new framework for dealing with human behavior. Contents......Page 10 Preface to the Second Edition......Page 16 Prologue: Overcoming System Blindness......Page 17 Act I. Seeing the Big Picture......Page 32 1 Pinball......Page 33 2 The Manager of the Heart......Page 35 3 The Mystery of the Swim......Page 38 4 Seeing the Local Picture......Page 40 5 “Stuff” Happens......Page 41 Scene 2. From Spatial Blindness to Spatial Sight......Page 45 6 Seeing Context......Page 46 7 The “Truth” About Jack......Page 51 8 Charlotte Is a Problem......Page 53 9 Center Ring or Side Show?......Page 56 10 Times Out of Time: Seeing the Whole......Page 58 11 The TOOT Dilemma......Page 62 Scene 3. From Temporal Blindness to Temporal Sight......Page 64 12 The Invisible Histories of the Swims We Are In......Page 65 13 History’s Burst of Illumination......Page 67 14 Bart and Barb: A System Evolves . . . Perfectly......Page 69 15 “Anthropology” or Mick Gets Wiped Out......Page 77 16 Applied Anthropology: Unraveling System History......Page 89 Summary......Page 90 Act II. Seeing Patterns of Relationship......Page 92 17 What About All the Drama?......Page 94 18 The Dance of Blind Reflex......Page 95 19 Three Patterns of Relationship......Page 100 20 One Wakes, the Other Sleeps......Page 102 21 The Top/Bottom Dance of Blind Reflex......Page 103 22 It Takes Two to Tango . . . or Does It?......Page 111 23 Let’s Declare Bankruptcy: Transforming the Top/Bottom Dance......Page 114 24 The Universal Civics Course......Page 117 25 The End/Middle/End Dance of Blind Reflex......Page 120 26 Daniel: Mutant in the Middle Space......Page 128 27 Organizations in the Middle......Page 131 28 The Provider/Customer Dance of Blind Reflex......Page 132 29 Overcontrol or Transformation: The Mutant Customer......Page 137 30 The Unfairly Judged Professor (and the Righteously Done-to Students)......Page 139 31 Abused and Misused in the Space of Service......Page 143 32 The Web of Relationships......Page 148 33 How to Clean Sidewalks: It’s a Matter of Being......Page 151 34 Resistance or The Sound of the Old Dance Shaking......Page 152 35 How We Can See the Dance......Page 154 Summary......Page 158 Act III. Seeing Patterns of Process......Page 160 36 Are You Sure You Have It All?......Page 162 37 Turf Warfare, Alienation, and GroupThink: The Dance of Blind Reflex Continued......Page 163 38 Relationship Breakdowns in a Nutshell......Page 169 39 Territorial Tops: Stuck on Differentiation......Page 170 40 The Success of a Business, the Failure of Its Partners......Page 173 41 Learning from Experience: A Good Second Marriage......Page 176 42 Help! No Recovering Top Groups Sighted......Page 178 43 Advice for the Top Team......Page 179 44 Alienated Middles: Stuck on Individuation......Page 183 45 Alienation Among the Middles......Page 184 46 Can Alienated Middles Become a Powerful System?......Page 187 47 Mutant Middle Groups......Page 189 48 How to Create Powerful Middle Teams......Page 195 49 Bottom GroupThink: Stuck on Integration......Page 197 50 Immigrant Martha Has a Breakdown......Page 200 51 Where Is Everyone? A Mutant Bottom Group......Page 207 52 Power Is Managing Differentiation......Page 209 53 Creating Powerful Bottom Groups......Page 212 Scene 3. The Politics of System Processes......Page 214 54 Huddlers and Humanists . . . Enough With Consensus!......Page 215 55 Amebocytes and Slugs: The Politics of Individuation and Integration......Page 218 56 The Politics of Gender......Page 220 57 Or Would You Rather Be an Earthworm? Societal Implications of Differentiation and Homogenization......Page 223 58 Differentiation: Inquiry or Warfare?......Page 224 59 An Ode to Homogenization......Page 228 Scene 4. The Challenge of Robust Systems......Page 229 60 The Dominants and the Others......Page 230 61 Robust System Processes......Page 236 62 The Dance of the Robust System: Ballet Notes......Page 240 63 A Remarkable, If Somewhat Premature Epiphany......Page 244 Summary......Page 246 Act IV. Seeing Uncertainty......Page 248 64 The Emergence of Organizational Positions......Page 250 65 Individuals Facing and Escaping from Organizational Uncertainty......Page 251 66 A Mutant Moment in the Middle......Page 256 67 Dancing in and out of the Tunnel of Limited Options......Page 260 68 His Magic Consultant Card #2......Page 266 69 Groups Facing and Escaping from Uncertainty......Page 270 70 How to Transform Oppositional Struggles into Multifaceted Flexible Teams......Page 276 71 Not All Possibilities Are Possible......Page 282 72 Coping with Uncertainty Through Mythos and Logos......Page 284 Summary......Page 288 The Next Act—Seeing More......Page 290 Epilogue: A Continuing Revolution......Page 292 Notes......Page 298 About the Author......Page 302 Preface to the Second Edition p. xi Prologue: Overcoming System Blindness p. xii Act I Seeing the Big Picture p. 1 Scene 1 When We Don't See the Big Picture p. 2 1 Pinball p. 2 2 The Manager of the Heart p. 4 3 The Mystery of the Swim p. 7 4 Seeing the Local Picture p. 9 5 "Stuff" Happens p. 10 Scene 2 From Spatial Blindness to Spatial Sight p. 14 6 Seeing Context p. 15 7 The "Truth" About Jack p. 20 8 Charlotte Is a Problem p. 22 9 Center Ring or Side Show? p. 25 10 Times Out of Time: Seeing the Whole p. 27 11 The TOOT Dilemma p. 31 Scene 3 From Temporal Blindness to Temporal Sight p. 33 12 The Invisible Histories of the Swims We Are In p. 34 13 History's Burst of Illumination p. 36 14 Bart and Barb: A System Evolves ... Perfectly p. 38 15 "Anthropology" or Mick Gets Wiped Out p. 46 16 Applied Anthropology: Unraveling System History p. 58 Summary p. 59 Act II Seeing Patterns of Relationship p. 61 Scene 1 Relational Blindness p. 63 17 What About All the Drama? p. 63 18 The Dance of Blind Reflex p. 64 Scene 2 From Relational Blindness to Relational Sight p. 69 19 Three Patterns of Relationship p. 69 20 One Wakes, the Other Sleeps p. 71 21 The Top/Bottom Dance of Blind Reflex p. 72 22 It Takes Two to Tango ... or Does It? p. 80 23 Let's Declare Bankruptcy: Transforming the Top/Bottom Dance p. 83 24 The Universal Civics Course p. 86 25 The End/Middle/End Dance of Blind Reflex p. 89 26 Daniel: Mutant in the Middle Space p. 97 27 Organizations in the Middle p. 100 28 The Provider/Customer Dance of Blind Reflex p. 101 29 Overcontrol or Transformation: The Mutant Customer p. 106 30 The Unfairly Judged Professor (and the Righteously Done-to Students) p. 108 31 Abused and Misused in the Space of Service p. 112 32 The Web of Relationships p. 117 33 How to Clean Sidewalks: It's a Matter of Being p. 120 34 Resistance or The Sound of the Old Dance Shaking p. 121 35 How We Can See the Dance p. 123 Summary p. 127 Act III Seeing Patterns of Process p. 129 Scene 1 Process Blindness p. 131 36 Are You Sure You Have It All? p. 131 37 Turf Warfare, Alienation, and GroupThink: The Dance of Blind Reflex Continued p. 132 38 Relationship Breakdowns in a Nutshell p. 138 Scene 2 From Process Blindness to Process Sight p. 139 39 Territorial Tops: Stuck on Differentiation p. 139 40 The Success of a Business, the Failure of Its Partners p. 142 41 Learning from Experience: A Good Second Marriage p. 145 42 Help! No Recovering Top Groups Sighted p. 147 43 Advice for the Top Team p. 148 44 Alienated Middles: Stuck on Individuation p. 152 45 Alienation Among the Middles p. 153 46 Can Alienated Middles Become a Powerful System? p. 156 47 Mutant Middle Groups p. 158 48 How to Create Powerful Middle Teams p. 164 49 Bottom GroupThink: Stuck on Integration p. 166 50 Immigrant Martha Has a Breakdown p. 169 51 Where Is Everyone? A Mutant Bottom Group p. 176 52 Power Is Managing Differentiation p. 178 53 Creating Powerful Bottom Groups p. 181 Scene 3 The Politics of System Processes p. 183 54 Huddlers and Humanists ... Enough With Consensus! p. 184 55 Amebocytes and Slugs: The Politics of Individuation and Integration p. 187 56 The Politics of Gender p. 189 57 Or Would You Rather Be an Earthworm? Societal Implications of Differentiation and Homogenization p. 192 58 Differentiation: Inquiry or Warfare? p. 193 59 An Ode to Homogenization p. 197 Scene 4 The Challenge of Robust Systems p. 198 60 The Dominants and the Others p. 199 61 Robust System Processes p. 205 62 The Dance of the Robust System: Ballet Notes p. 209 63 A Remarkable, If Somewhat Premature Epiphany p. 213 Summary p. 215 Act IV Seeing Uncertainty p. 217 64 The Emergence of Organizational Positions p. 219 Scene 1 Individuals in Uncertainty p. 220 65 Individuals Facing and Escaping from Organizational Uncertainty p. 220 66 A Mutant Moment in the Middle p. 225 67 Dancing in and out of the Tunnel of Limited Options p. 229 68 His Magic Consultant Card #2 p. 235 Scene 2 Groups in Uncertainty p. 239 69 Groups Facing and Escaping from Uncertainty p. 239 70 How to Transform Oppositional Struggles into Multifaceted Flexible Teams p. 245 Scene 3 Facing and Escaping the Uncertainties of Existence p. 251 71 Not All Possibilities Are Possible p. 251 72 Coping with Uncertainty Through Mythos and Logos p. 253 Summary p. 257 The Next Act-Seeing More p. 259 Epilogue: A Continuing Revolution p. 261 Notes p. 267 About the Author p. 271 Contents 10 Preface to the Second Edition 16 Prologue: Overcoming System Blindness 17 Act I. Seeing the Big Picture 32 Scene 1. When We Don’t See the Big Picture 33 1 Pinball 33 2 The Manager of the Heart 35 3 The Mystery of the Swim 38 4 Seeing the Local Picture 40 5 “Stuff” Happens 41 Scene 2. From Spatial Blindness to Spatial Sight 45 6 Seeing Context 46 7 The “Truth” About Jack 51 8 Charlotte Is a Problem 53 9 Center Ring or Side Show? 56 10 Times Out of Time: Seeing the Whole 58 11 The TOOT Dilemma 62 Scene 3. From Temporal Blindness to Temporal Sight 64 12 The Invisible Histories of the Swims We Are In 65 13 History’s Burst of Illumination 67 14 Bart and Barb: A System Evolves . . . Perfectly 69 15 “Anthropology” or Mick Gets Wiped Out 77 16 Applied Anthropology: Unraveling System History 89 Summary 90 Act II. Seeing Patterns of Relationship 92 Scene 1. Relational Blindness 94 17 What About All the Drama? 94 18 The Dance of Blind Reflex 95 Scene 2. From Relational Blindness to Relational Sight 100 19 Three Patterns of Relationship 100 20 One Wakes, the Other Sleeps 102 21 The Top/Bottom Dance of Blind Reflex 103 22 It Takes Two to Tango . . . or Does It? 111 23 Let’s Declare Bankruptcy: Transforming the Top/Bottom Dance 114 24 The Universal Civics Course 117 25 The End/Middle/End Dance of Blind Reflex 120 26 Daniel: Mutant in the Middle Space 128 27 Organizations in the Middle 131 28 The Provider/Customer Dance of Blind Reflex 132 29 Overcontrol or Transformation: The Mutant Customer 137 30 The Unfairly Judged Professor (and the Righteously Done-to Students) 139 31 Abused and Misused in the Space of Service 143 32 The Web of Relationships 148 33 How to Clean Sidewalks: It’s a Matter of Being 151 34 Resistance or The Sound of the Old Dance Shaking 152 35 How We Can See the Dance 154 Summary 158 Act III. Seeing Patterns of Process 160 Scene 1. Process Blindness 162 36 Are You Sure You Have It All? 162 37 Turf Warfare, Alienation, and GroupThink: The Dance of Blind Reflex Continued 163 38 Relationship Breakdowns in a Nutshell 169 Scene 2. From Process Blindness to Process Sight 170 39 Territorial Tops: Stuck on Differentiation 170 40 The Success of a Business, the Failure of Its Partners 173 41 Learning from Experience: A Good Second Marriage 176 42 Help! No Recovering Top Groups Sighted 178 43 Advice for the Top Team 179 44 Alienated Middles: Stuck on Individuation 183 45 Alienation Among the Middles 184 46 Can Alienated Middles Become a Powerful System? 187 47 Mutant Middle Groups 189 48 How to Create Powerful Middle Teams 195 49 Bottom GroupThink: Stuck on Integration 197 50 Immigrant Martha Has a Breakdown 200 51 Where Is Everyone? A Mutant Bottom Group 207 52 Power Is Managing Differentiation 209 53 Creating Powerful Bottom Groups 212 Scene 3. The Politics of System Processes 214 54 Huddlers and Humanists . . . Enough With Consensus! 215 55 Amebocytes and Slugs: The Politics of Individuation and Integration 218 56 The Politics of Gender 220 57 Or Would You Rather Be an Earthworm? Societal Implications of Differentiation and Homogenization 223 58 Differentiation: Inquiry or Warfare? 224 59 An Ode to Homogenization 228 Scene 4. The Challenge of Robust Systems 229 60 The Dominants and the Others 230 61 Robust System Processes 236 62 The Dance of the Robust System: Ballet Notes 240 63 A Remarkable, If Somewhat Premature Epiphany 244 Summary 246 Act IV. Seeing Uncertainty 248 64 The Emergence of Organizational Positions 250 Scene 1. Individuals in Uncertainty 251 65 Individuals Facing and Escaping from Organizational Uncertainty 251 66 A Mutant Moment in the Middle 256 67 Dancing in and out of the Tunnel of Limited Options 260 68 His Magic Consultant Card #2 266 Scene 2. Groups in Uncertainty 270 69 Groups Facing and Escaping from Uncertainty 270 70 How to Transform Oppositional Struggles into Multifaceted Flexible Teams 276 Scene 3. Facing and Escaping the Uncertainties of Existence 282 71 Not All Possibilities Are Possible 282 72 Coping with Uncertainty Through Mythos and Logos 284 Summary 288 The Next Act—Seeing More 290 Epilogue: A Continuing Revolution 292 Notes 298 About the Author 302 "In this extensively revised and updated edition of his classic book, Barry Oshry shows how we can transform "system blindness" into "system sight," enabling us to live and work together in productive partnership. Based on more than thirty years of research and packed with illustrative cases and solid systems theory on human interaction, Seeing Systems provides a penetrating look at the dynamics of systems and a unique foundation for revolutionizing our understanding of system life. This new edition features an extensive new section on having the wisdom and courage to face and work with the reality of uncertainty, and a new epilogue describing how Oshry is currently using theater, blogs, and podcasts to extend his multi-pronged revolution aimed at transforming system blindness into system sight."--Jacket