Leading Through Complexity

Session 1: Welcome and overview of systemic thinking 

In-person session at London Interdisciplinary School, 10.00am–4.00pm  

During this session we will give an overview of leading in complex systems, explore what this means for you in your particular role and look at how to approach complexity from the perspective of integrating many types of knowledge and collaborating with different kinds of experts.  

The session will cover: 

• attention practice: using our whole bodies (not just our cognitive processes) to generate new learning and perspectives to enhance our leadership  

• interactional expertise and threshold concepts

• an overview of systemic leadership. 

Session 2: Leading beyond our formal authority 

This session will look at what it means to lead beyond formal authority. What’s the distinction between authority and leadership? When we hold formal roles in a system, what does it mean to lead beyond authority? What can we learn from multiple other cultural perspectives on leadership and authority?  

This session will cover:  

• global thinking beyond cultural contexts

• inner skills: looking at leadership from the outside–in and understanding ourselves as leaders from multiple perspectives 

• how language and our own internal meaning-making affect our interaction with systems and people.

Session 3: Whose Health? Who Cares? Redrawing Boundaries

We will explore how we think about complex problems. You will take part in a small system group activity to explore what perspectives are missing from the table and the value these perspectives could add to addressing the challenges you face. How might we include a wider range of perspectives on these complex problems – particularly the people most impacted? 

This session will cover: 

• the importance of understanding the justice and inequality components of health and care

• considering patient populations and their needs

• the intersection of health systems with other systems.

Session 4: Leading ‘from the outside–in’ – making the most out of collective intelligence 

Develop the skills and knowledge needed to communicate and collaborate with different experts more effectively. You’ll learn how leading from the outside–in enables you to make sense of the complex systems and the communities you’re serving. How can we work across and between spatial levels – local, national and global – while optimally working with others?

This session will cover:  

• how collective intelligence emerges in health contexts, the tension between independence and social learning, and its implications for decision-making in complex systems.

• activities focused on collaboration and working with others.

Session 5: Leading ‘from the inside–out’ – getting out of your own way 

What are our own personal immunities to change and how can we overcome them?

This session will cover:

• immunity to change and managing the psychology of change

• reflexivity and reflection practices

• opposable thinking.

Session 6: Integration and synthesis 

Synthesise your learning from the course and deep dive into how the concepts and methods apply to your specific context and wider organisation.  

This session will cover:

• sensemaking for the course and moving forward

• course artefact integration and presentation

• health systems application.