Communication connections among people in organizations that are often of weak intensity.

The wholeness of the system and its environment and the interrelationships of individuals within the system.

Karl Weick’s notion that certain strategies for motivating employees are ineffective because employees only display some of their behaviors at work and do not reveal all of their characteristics and roles.

Unique because of their system thinking, personal mastery, flexible mental models, shared vision, and team learning.

A member of a system who has regular opportunities to interact with people outside of the organization.

A system of “loops” that connect communication and action.

The notion that there is more than one right way to accomplish the same goal.

A blend of cooperation and competition.

The notion that organizations must work with their environment to be successful.

All members of a system—be they people or cells—are important to the ongoing self-organization of a system.