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Advancing social and economic justice, sustainable development, and positive change at national and global levels.
life
Helping people create positive individual change and align their lives with their aspirations for a better world.
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Pioneering socially responsible, effective approaches to leading and managing organizations.
Open Book Edition
A self-publishing partnership with iUniverse to expand the BK mission into more genres.
Fast Fundamentals
The BK Whitepaper Series. Providing practical expertise in article-length format for busy professionals.
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• New edition of a classic, revised and updated throughout, with a new section and a new epilogue

• Explains why so many efforts at creating satisfying and productive systems end in disappointment

• Offers an approach to improving organizational life that removes the personal biases that stymie so many change efforts 

When breakdowns occur in organizational life, the tendency is to blame them on the personalities, motivations, and abilities of the individuals involved or on the specific characteristics of one’s organization. Barry Oshry demonstrates how everyday breakdowns stem from our failure to see how human systems shape our feelings about ourselves and our relationships with other individuals and groups. He shows how we can transform “system blindness” into system sight, enabling us to live and work together in productive partnership. 

Based on Oshry’s 30+ years of studying human interaction in social system life, Seeing Systems is profound in its implications while being easily accessible. In addition to illustrative cases and solid systems theory, the book is populated with pinballs; talking body parts; mysterious “swimmers”; amebocytes, slugs, and earthworms; dances of blind reflex; and tunnels of limited options. The result is a unique foundation for revolutionizing our understanding of system life.

This new edition is revised throughout and features an extensive new section on having the wisdom and courage to face and work with the reality of uncertainty, a hopeful antidote to today’s righteous battles of certainty versus certainty. The new epilogue describes how Oshry is currently using theater, blogs, and podcasts to extend his multipronged revolution aimed at transforming system blindness into system sight.

“Seeing Systems helps us grasp what really happens beneath the surface in organizations…regardless of whether you are an executive, executive coach, middle manager or individual contributor, Seeing Systems provides powerful insights and applications for enhancing your effectiveness.”

—Julian D. Kaufmann, Vice President, Leadership & Organization Development, Tyco International