Seeing wholes: The concept of systems thinking and its implementation in school leadership

Systems thinking (ST) is an approach advocating thinking about any
given issue as a whole, emphasising the interrelationships between its components
rather than the components themselves. This article aims to link ST and school
leadership, claiming that ST may enable school principals to develop highly performing
schools that can cope successfully with current challenges, which are more
complex than ever before in today’s era of accountability and high expectations.
The article presents the concept of ST – its definition, components, history and
applications. Thereafter, its connection to education and its contribution to school
management are described. The article concludes by discussing practical processes
including screening for ST-skilled principal candidates and developing ST skills
among prospective and currently performing school principals, pinpointing three
opportunities for skills acquisition: during preparatory programmes; during their
first years on the job, supported by veteran school principals as mentors; and
throughout their entire career. Such opportunities may not only provide school
principals with ST skills but also improve their functioning throughout the aforementioned
stages of professional development