On Leadership in the Complex Adaptive Systems Engineering of Enterprise Transformation

Abstract

The biggest challenges faced by engineering leaders and managers come from the most difficult problems, where people are indigenous to the system to be improved or developed. Leadership, viewed as overlapping but complementary to management, is critical for achieving desirable outcomes envisioned by principal stakeholders. In particular, appropriate styles of leadership are especially relevant in affecting successful organizational or enterprise transformations. Definitions of systems, engineering, and enterprise terms are reviewed. The context of problems and potential solutions are established by illuminating fundamental complex system behaviors and complex systems engineering principles. Relevant themes of leadership are introduced, explained, and exemplified, by citing complexity, complex adaptive systems, and complex systems engineering (including the present author's own body of work in this area), as well as first-hand career experiences, case studies literature, and case study examples of some widely considered to be real-life leaders. Complexity leadership is addressed specifically. A systemic view of the complex leadership process that must be embraced by successful leaders, including those involved in attempting to transform organizations or enterprises for the better, is synthesized.

Keywords:

• behaviors
• case studies
• complex systems
• enterprise
• leadership
• management
• organization
• principles
• engineering
• system of systems