The “learning organization” is fast becoming a corporate buzzword. Many companies are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding what a learning organization is, or…

The Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) is the largest two-year technical college in the U.S., serving nearly 70,000 students with an annual budget of…

There is much agreement that one of the key characteristics of the 21st-century organization will be its ongoing ability to learn. In fact, it…

There are many possible starting points for drawing a systems diagram. One way to begin is by telling the story behind the problem, and…

Jorge Valchez is an organizational development consultant at International Chocolate, Inc., a (fictional) confectionery company. A few years ago, he picked up a copy…

According to recent findings in neuroscience, not only do sensory experiences and actions change the brain’s physical structure, but so does thinking. Concentrating on…

We hear a lot about complexity in the business world today — specifically, that increasing complexity is making it tougher than ever for companies…

People in Guatemala—smart people—were working harder, hiring brighter people, raising more money, doing better projects, and getting improved results. And yet, what they sought…

I frequently talk to groups of managers on the nature of systems thinking and its radical implications to management. In doing so, I use…

When something goes wrong in an organization, the first question that is often posed is, “Whose fault is it?” When there’s data missing in…