Leadership and the New Science by Margaret Wheatley - Book Report/Review Example

LEADERSHIP AND THE NEW SCIENCE: DISCOVERING ORDER IN A CHAOTIC WORLD THIRD EDITION: EXPANDED WITH A NEW CHAPTER By Margaret Wheatley About the Being a veteran business and organizational consultant as well as an organizational theorist, Margaret Wheatley is known for her major extraordinary explanations as to how organizations ought to be led towards progress today. Basically, the idea of contemplating with change and innovation has been the major trend followed by organizations established in this modern era of never ending advancements. With this fact in mind, Margaret Wheatley tries to establish different approaches to establishing and managing organization based on the already proven theories of science. She further notes in her series of writings that human organizations sometimes fail due to the absence of systematic approach to solve issues of their organizations especially regarding conflicts and change adjustment needs which is an obvious process that is suggested through scientific problem solving that could only be used by those whose minds are open to major innovations in management. This is the practical idea that Wheatley suggests in her writing "Leadership and the New Science" [third edition] which has a new chapter introduction that is entitled "The Real World". About the Book The release of the first edition of this book was first opened to the public readers in 1992. No matter, as the years pass, the book being based in science has the need to be updated; and Wheatley definitely realized this need. Hence, she released another edition updating the information she shared with her readers during the first edition. Later on, she further improved her presentation and application of scientific theories into actual organizational management needs through the release of her book's third edition which opens up a new chance of actually seeing how science applies to the real world. Bluntly based on theories of biology, chemistry, chaos theory and quantum physics, the first and second edition were presented in a rather common placing that Wheatley herself felt the need to help her readers feel and understand the actual application of her retaliations through the use of actual or real-life examples. This then has been done through the release of the third edition. Content and Summary "When we are truly giving birth to a new world view, the more I realize that our culture is presently journeying through chaos. The old ways are dissolving, and the new has not yet shown itself. We must engage with each other differently as explorers and discoverers. Every moment requires we be comfortable with uncertainty; every moment requires that we stay together" -M.Wheatley(34) [also see: LineZine. http://www.linezine.com/2.3/themes/bgsbrlns2.htm. ] As Margaret Wheatley accepts the fact that humans today are living in a chaotic system, she keeps on encouraging everyone to face the situations with a fine understanding of the matter of chaos and use that matter to solve the issues. For example, a science theory opens up the explanation about the process of change and how it happens which could be related to human behaviour as well. It could be noticed that through using this particular theory towards understanding a certain issue in an organization, chaos could be dealt with strategically, using the different elements that contributes to the trouble to naturally find the solution needed to end the problems. In a new world of innovation and change, Wheatley points out the need to develop as well on the part of organizational management. She notes how the old systems of management could not be used anymore to solve the problems at present since the situations before has already changed into a more complex set of issues that need a new set of solutions. How could these solutions be found: through the use and establishment of scientific problem solving. Some might have a lesser regard of science or that of quantum physics. Simply thinking of it might seem complicated enough to explain; moreover to apply it in business procedures that are designed to help organizations progress further towards complete success. However, with the explanation used by Wheatley, she was able to point out that science should be recognized by organizational administrators as obvious sources of development and improvement in their groups that they are most concerned about. It could not be denied that the process may be new, but the adaptation toward the application of the matter in actual situations in business would surely be a worthy choice for organizational managers. People, having the capability as well as the need to change to improve should be given the chance to receive what they deserve from the organizations that they are working for. The arguments that Wheatley has established against that of the existence of the Newtonian organizations that were practically based on machine-style of management is now a dissolving process of control. People, according to Wheatley, are more than just machines. They have characters, capabilities, talents and skills that need to be recognized by their superiors. Only through this shall the advancement of each personnel in the field of organizational management could be expected. The new chapter that deals with the application of science and quantum physics in the real world on the other hand opens up a new understanding as to how leaders of terrorist groups effectively use the global network system approach to be able to handle their needs of pursuing their goals to establish chaos in the world. According to Wheatley's observation, the process by which present governments are trying to deal with the problem would surely cause more issues in the future as they are not able to adapt to the process of growth that these terrorist groups use to improve their approaches of attack. Hence, as a suggestion, Wheatley provokes the challenge of adapting the same process that the terrorists use to counterattack their goals of creating chaos, and that is through systematically applying chaos as well. Science could be confusing to many, especially to those who have lesser background on understanding the different systems as to how different things occur and how different things develop. The process to which the terrorist attacks happen does not only affect one country, instead it affects the whole world; hence, the situation requires attention from the world leaders standing altogether to meet the needs of facing the issues of war and chaos. Setting the path straight for these major attackers may not be easy. It is not a simple matter of dealing with their personalities and their behaviour as persons, but also in dealing with the kind of culture that they have been brought up with. This, according to Wheatley could only be successfully completed through considering the scientific approach to facing the problems. In business organizations, the same chaos occurs. With the mix up of different people from different places and cultures [a change brought about by the existence of globalization] the process of managing diversity increases into a higher demand from the administrators of major groups in the industry of commerce. Yes, when it comes to diversity, different issues should be given focus. The different procedures of solving the said issues should then be contemplated by the administrators of such business groups to be a part of the entire management procedures taken into consideration by their administrative personnel appointed to the task of controlling and assisting the people to become geared towards future success. Scientific process of controlling such chaotic situations has been proposed by Wheatley to be used in such situations. She points out that with the importance placed by the administrator towards the said procedures, they would be able to see to it that the people working for their companies are not simply working because they are told to but because they want to and that they are satisfied with whatever it is that they were appointed to complete. With the application of science in organizational managements as well as dealing with the different social issues present today, it could be expected that the major changes geared towards further success and progress could be implicated not only today but also towards the years that will come. Being able to realize the importance of science in the process of management creates a systematic understanding on the approach of administrative completion of responsibilities geared towards giving the people the recognition and satisfaction that they need from work, motivating them better to work further for a better performance that would not only affect them personally but would also affect that of the organization's success. Systematic approach to solving organizational problems has long been applied in the process of empowering the people working for different business groups in the past. Now matter, with the new complications and new demands of the modern era of organizational control, the need for newer approach to completing solutions for modern problems increases in demand. The book of Wheatley welcomes the thought of adapting a new system of problem solution through the use of science. Through Wheatley's theoretical explanations and application to actual situations, the modern problems faced by the society today could be given practical solutions based from scientific compilation of procedural approaches to problem solving. Her understanding and her presentation of thoughts could actually be given careful attention by modern administrators so as to attain success in dealing with the chaotic world of modernity that the human society faces as a whole today. Overall Reaction to the Reading Wheatley's excellent presentation of her ideas based on evidenced presentations has been clear success for this particular edition of her authored writing. Although quantum physics may be a hard matter to consider for many, her writing approach made it easy for her target readers to understand the matter much fully, giving them a better chance of applying such matters successfully in actual situations. Her presentations on the new chapter released through the newest edition even gives a clarified picture how some groups of people have already used the theoretical applications of quantum physics in their goals of creating chaos in the human society. She then further points out a practical approach to the major problems that the world faces today through adapting the effective approaches of science in dealing with chaotic situations consistently in comparison with the situations that humans have to face at present. Practical, easy to read and clear in focus; these are the particular characteristics that the book of Wheatley has making it one of her most celebrated writings that is now widely used by administrators in assuring that their organizations are in the right track of pursuing the right goals towards progress. Reference: Wheatley, Margaret. (2006). Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World. Third Edition. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Read More