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Leadership from a System Perspective

Forrest, M. (2004). Leadership from a system perspective. Paper presented at Curriculum Corporation's 11th annual conference. http://cmslive.curriculum.edu.au/leader/default.asp?issueID=9691&id=4669

In this paper, Forrest (2004) discusses leadership from a systems perspective. Leadership, he says:

  • is not something you do to a particular organisation but an intrinsic and inseparable part of that organisation
  • is grounded in the nature of the business, especially its values and purposes
  • derives strength from how one takes advantage of particular contexts and cultures.

Forrest argues for three 'critical spaces' of systemic leadership.

  • The goals, values and purposes to which leadership should be directed
  • Contextual affordances and constraints, including inclusivity, taxpayer funding, accountability, social policy, public interest, resources and tensions
  • Cultural considerations and constraints, including homogeneity and heterogeneity, and shared values and purposes.

Forrest rejects the notion of a limited supply of leadership, whereby accretion in one domain diminishes leadership in another. Rather, he argues that it is important that there are leaders everywhere, 'leading for an agreed systemic purpose' (p. 4).

This paper is linked to What's Wrong with Leadership?