Coming soon · Book Profile
Leadership and the New Science
A management thinker argues that the discoveries of quantum physics, self-organizing systems, and chaos theory offer a radically new and more hopeful way to lead organizations in a world of constant change.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Leadership and the New Science invites leaders to abandon the three-hundred-year-old Newtonian, machine-based worldview that still dominates how we design and manage organizations, and instead to embrace the worldview revealed by twentieth-century science. Drawing on quantum physics, chaos theory, fractal geometry, and the biology of self-organizing systems, Margaret Wheatley shows that order emerges naturally from relationships, information, and a few clear principles combined with great individual freedom—not from rigid control, detailed planning, and reductionist analysis. Through vivid metaphors and personal exploration, she reframes core organizational concerns—change, power, information, vision, participation, and disaster and terrorism response—as living-systems phenomena. The result is a paradigm-shifting case that organizations are living systems capable of adaptation and self-renewal, and that leaders who trust relationships, meaning, and self-organization create more resilient, creative, and humane institutions.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A leader, manager, or change practitioner who wants their organization to be adaptive, creative, resilient, and humane in a turbulent world.
- The problem
- Organizations feel lifeless, change efforts repeatedly fail, and rigid control structures cannot cope with constant flux and chaos. The leader feels exhausted, confused, anxious, and increasingly incompetent, drowning in change they are supposed to be managing.
- The plan
- Recognize and question the inherited Newtonian, machine worldview that shapes your organization.
- Shift attention from parts and control to relationships, wholeness, and self-organizing processes.
- Treat information as living nourishment—generate it, share it freely, and welcome disturbing information.
- Establish a clear shared identity, vision, and values, then give people great freedom to self-reference and act.
- Work with change by connecting the system to more of itself and by discovering shared meaning.
- The payoff
- Organizations become adaptive, creative, and resilient, achieving order without rigid control. · Leaders work with less effort and stress, energized by curiosity, wonder, and participation. · People contribute their full creativity, find meaning in their work, and self-organize to accomplish what matters.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.