This post has been inspired by a colleague and good friend Carl. Carl is a Director of Occupational Health and Safety at a respected National Educational Institute. We have worked together for many years and often Carl refers to systems driving outcomes. Dick Knowles is also a friend of Carl, so we get the opportunity to explore Dick’s work with many great stories.

I thought it would be great to reflect on systems thinking and explore why this approach might be relevant today.

When you think about achieving success—whether in a company, on a team, or even in your personal life — what comes to mind first? Many of us focus on things like strategy, goals, or individual performance. But here’s a secret: it’s often the systems at play behind the scenes that actually determine outcomes.

Let’s talk about systems and why understanding them might be the key to unlocking better results. To do this, I’ll introduce a brilliant mind who has deeply explored how systems work: Dick Knowles.

The Essence of Systems Thinking

Before diving into Knowles’ work, let’s establish what we mean by “systems.” A system is not just a set of processes or checklists. It’s the interconnected web of relationships, behaviours, rules, and patterns that shape how things flow and work together. Every business, team, or organisation is a living, breathing system. The key is realising that these systems largely dictate the outcomes, regardless of individual efforts or intentions.

Here’s a simple analogy: imagine a river. You can paddle your canoe harder or faster, but if the river (your system) is full of obstacles, currents, or poor flow, your boat (your team or organisation) isn’t going to get far. Tweaking the river, not just paddling harder, is where the real magic happens.

Dick Knowles and the Science of Organisational Flow

Dick Knowles, a former DuPont executive, delved into these systemic dynamics in organisations. In his work on self-organising leadership, Knowles explores how organisations, like complex ecosystems, thrive or fail based on their internal systems. His insights come from both experience and a deep understanding of how complex adaptive systems work.

Knowles is perhaps best known for his concept of the “Leadership Dance,” which is rooted in the idea that leaders must learn to balance the tension between stability and change. Just like ecosystems, organisations need to stay stable enough to function but flexible enough to adapt to challenges. It’s a delicate dance.

In his book, The Leadership Dance: Pathways to Extraordinary Organisational Effectiveness, Knowles emphasises that successful organisations are those where leaders create environments that enable natural, self-organising behaviours within the system. The goal is to cultivate conditions where trust, collaboration, and creativity naturally emerge, driving sustainable outcomes without heavy-handed control.

Systems Drive Behaviour

One of the key takeaways from Knowles’ work is that systems drive behaviour more than individual intentions or skills. People adapt their behaviour based on the system they operate within. If a company’s system rewards short-term gains at any cost, people will pursue those rewards, often to the detriment of long-term success. Conversely, if a system encourages innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, those behaviours will flourish.

Imagine a garden. You could have the best seeds (your people) and tools (your resources), but if the soil (your system) is unhealthy, nothing is going to grow. Knowles teaches that by focusing on improving the soil — nurturing a system where trust and positive relationships thrive — you enable sustainable growth and success.

Applying Systems Thinking for Better Outcomes

So how do you apply these principles? Start by diagnosing your system.  Are there misaligned incentives, unproductive communication patterns, or unnecessary barriers that stifle performance? Take a step back and see how these elements interact.

Next, consider how you can “tilt” the system to encourage better outcomes. That could mean fostering more transparent communication channels, aligning rewards with long-term objectives, or giving teams more autonomy to self-organise and solve problems.

The beauty of systems thinking is that small tweaks can have outsized impacts. Sometimes, simply allowing information to flow more freely across departments can break down silos and create a culture of innovation.

The Big Takeaway

Dick Knowles teaches us that outcomes are often the product of the systems we operate within. Leaders who understand this have a distinct advantage: they focus less on micromanaging people and more on designing environments where people naturally do their best work. The real challenge is to stop paddling harder and instead take a good, hard look at the river.

The Final Words

You can see why this approach can offer insights to safety performance. In my work I often experience people seeking to navigate safety and productivity goals. Rather than understanding these two ‘polarities’ as a single system, (both and) they are viewed as ‘opposing’ forces (either or).

This helps to explains why incidents happen and post investigation leads to a blame. We feel better if we can find human fault Vs understanding how the operating state or systems drive behaviour and outcomes.

So, the next time you’re striving for a big goal or facing a challenging problem, ask yourself: what does the system look like, and how can I shape it to get the results I want? You might just discover that the answer lies in rethinking the unseen forces driving your outcomes.