Understanding ourselves (Module 1) is an essential prerequisite to understanding and working effectively with others. So, in this module we’ll broaden the application of many of the principles and issues discussed in Module 1 to see how differences in behaviour, perspective, background, strengths and preferences influence the ways in which people work together. Importantly, we’ll be considering what we can learn from this to make our own management, communication and leadership efforts more successful and sustainable.

The diversity that exists within groups of people – whether the differences are cultural, psychological or technical – reminds us that when we work together we are working with and are part of many systems. Understanding and harnessing the resources of these human systems is an increasingly important part of being a successful manager and leader. ‘Systems thinking’ was popularised by Peter Senge who described it as a “discipline for seeing wholes” (Senge, 2006:68)^[1].

Systems thinking is a natural expectation we have of leaders and managers – particularly as they navigate complex work environments. It’s about thinking from a broader perspective: laterally, vertically and horizontally; internally and externally; about structures, relationships, connections, and processes. Systems thinking requires that we are open to and seeking continuous feedback from data, from people and from the environment; and that we are constantly curious about the expected and unexpected things emerging in our world. So in this module we will focus on the human systems we work with formally and informally. We will look at:

• Understanding others’ behavioural differences and group diversity
• Principles of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) to engage effectively with others
• Culture and conflict in groups
• Harnessing group strengths
• Working with virtual teams and work contexts