Leadership - What Really Matters: A Handbook on Systemic Leadership (Management for Professionals)

and listening carefully to the answers, the inner “map” of a person or an entire
organization can be “read.” In addition to asking and listening, observing is also
a prerequisite for any systemic behavior. It is crucial to observe how others see
things – and what they fail to see.

3.1.1 The Titanic Problem

Systemic leadership sees the whole issue, including aspects that are not immedi-
ately apparent. Other approaches consider only the obvious, measurable processes,
problems and results following the simplified principle of cause and effect.
They assume that human behavior and decisions are mainly conscious and rational
and can be controlled. In these approaches the success of business and leadership
depends on facts, structures, job descriptions, mastering the management tools,
goals, strategies and corporate policy (Fig.3.1).
By doing so they see only a small part of reality. An organization is more like
an iceberg. What you see above the surface is only the smaller part of the whole;
the majority lies under the surface. There mighty forces are working which must
not be underestimated. They determine the direction of the iceberg. They are
unconscious, irrational and informal and include structures of power and influence,
as well as group dynamics, emotions, relationships, individual needs, convictions,

factual level

strategy, planning, controlling,

organigrams, job specifications,

processes

rational, observable aspects 15 %

relationship level

distribution of power, group dynamics,

interactions, value system, roles,

needs, expectations, fears and

motivations, conflict potential, corporate

culture, etc.

affective, concealed aspects 85 %

Fig. 3.1The iceberg model (Source: Pinnow Daniel F., Management Guide 2001,Bad Harzburg
9/2000)

118 3 Systemic Leadership or: Designing a World That Others Want to Be Part Of