SCT® in Action: Applying the Systems-Centered Approach in Organizations

The systems-centered approach to organizations brings an innovative technology that makes it possible for organizations and work groups to lower the personalizing that is so troublesome for the people in organizations. Instead, learning to think "systems" shifts towards being able to see oneself in one's role and context.

This book illustrates actual examples of the basic systems-centered methods being applied in organizational work groups, in coaching, and in school and educational settings. The systems-centered approach introduces both a new perspective and an inventive technology: Functional subgrouping is used to resolve conflicts and strengthen decision-making. The systems-centered framework of "role, goal and context" enhances teamwork and lowers personalizing. Deliberately filtering noisy "talk" increases the potential for communication to work. The paradigm of phases of system development in organizations links each phase to specific change strategies.

This collection of articles brings together a range of examples that illustrate these human technologies and apply systems-centered theory and methods to various organizational contexts: companies, non-profit organizations and educational systems. This book is essential reading for consultants, managers, teachers, administrators and any change agents interested in learning to influence the system and not just the people.

Susan P. Gantt, Ph.D., CGP, ABPP, is the Director of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute, a psychologist in private practice in Atlanta, and a faculty member in the Emory University School of Medicine. She consults and trains in the US and Europe, and has co-authored the book Autobiography of a Theory with Yvonne Agazarian, as well as published journal articles on SCT.

Yvonne Agazarian, Ed.D., FAGPA, CGP, is the developer of a theory of living human systems and its systems-centered practice and is the founder of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute. She authored the book Systems-Centered Therapy for Groups and four other books on systems-centered applications and group dynamics, as well as numerous journal articles and book chapters. She received the Group Psychologist of the year award from the American Psychological Association in 1997. She lives in Philadelphia and teaches and consults both in the US and internationally.