In this anniversary edition, with a new introduction and additional information and analyses, Barry Oshry continues to illuminate system life for all of us. The Systems Letter offers
valuable insights for both the oppressors and the oppressed, and offers
hope and inspiration to all those who feel diminished, dismissed, and
disrespected by their organizations.
REVIEWS
"A warning about
the Systems Letter: Once you start, you will not be able to put it down. You
will be reading the work of an organizational anarchist who understands systems
better than anyone… Oshry's Letter is written to you and to me making it all
the more personal and meaningful. And one final warning: On completion of your
reading, to borrow a phrase from the Systems Letter, "the last traces of
your innocence (regarding systems) will be gone”.
W. Warner Burke
Edward Lee Thorndike Professor of
Psychology and Education
Teachers College, Columbia University
"Barry Oshry is a
pioneering systems thinker who has made seminal contributions to our
understanding of how we affect and are affected by the social systems of which
we are part. This booklet is brilliant, courageous, and immensely valuable."
Adam Kahane, Director, Reos Partners
“Barry is a true
systems wizard, and The Systems Letter offers a unique glimpse of how he
applied his own ideas in the messiness of real life. It’s a captivating
story and a powerful glimpse of a whole system from multiple angles, shared
with remarkable humility, vulnerability, openness, and poignancy.”
Brian Robertson, Creator of Holacracy
Founder of HolacracyOne
Author, Holacracy: The New Management
Systems for a Rapidly Changing World
"Oshry’s System Letter
reminds us that regardless of how “enlightened” our organizations are, they are
not immune to painful and costly dysfunction. The letter is a mix of righteous
anger and cool systemic analysis in his attempt to speak truth to power. If you
ever have been callously dismissed or diminished by an organization, you will
find comfort and motivation in the Systems Letter."
Dr. Mee-Yan Cheung-Judge
Director, Quality & Equality
From Colleagues
“I
have never read a book that better illustrates the razor-sharp
clarity required to communicate to an entire organization system. It was
literally thrilling to witness. A must read for anyone who cares about living a
life of honesty and integrity."
Kevin Purcell, Cobden, IL, USA
“The
Systems Letter is by far the most impactful of Barry's writing to date, and
that is saying a lot. There is a raw and authentic feel to the book, and
many of the phrases and ideas rattle through my head on a daily basis.”
Douglas O’Loughlin,
Singapore
“An
adrenaline pumping read. Rarely do I read a book in one go, but this can’t be
put down. There is power and strength in the raw vulnerability that comes
through the letter… Reading the letter brought up powerful memories of the
hurts and pain of my own organisational experiences and a sobering realisation
of how I had most likely contributed to the pain and dissatisfaction of
others.”
Alex Smith, Blenheim,
New Zealand
"Approach the 'System Letter' as you would a
seven-course gastro menu. Give yourself time to digest, reflect on and savour
its rich passages… Through the particularity of events in Barry's life we
recognize the universal pattern: the potent, uncertain mix of personal,
interpersonal and systemic factors that shape our experience, sense-making and
action/inaction. I loved the self-incriminating, wry humour peppered throughout
the book, not just humorous but sharp observations on what might be happening.
Recommended reading for anyone who wants to penetrate the depths of Oshry's
work and appreciate more about the person behind it. "
John
Watters, Brighton and Hove, UK
“The
phrase “going to the balcony” comes to mind. Leaders are encouraged to
step back, go to the balcony and look at what’s happening more dispassionately.
You went to the balcony with passion!
That’s part of the challenge and reward of this book.”
Nancy Aronson, Malvern,
PA, USA
“Even with his depth of knowledge of how the system often
determines our perceptions and feelings, Barry still falls prey to her clutches
and shares his feelings and thoughts with such authenticity and rawness we
cannot help but be moved. For those who know of Barry's
work the book is a humbling experience, for those that are new to it, a
never-ending thirst will be created to continually drink from this enlightening
well of knowledge and potential"
Paul Mitchell, Sydney,
Australia
“There
are always things I don't get about the systems work but this book helped me
understand the centrality of individuals to their systems, and the love of and
passion for their systems and their ability to hurt you. Ah, there is
actually an alternate response past fight or flight: clarity.”
Susan Stewart,
Allenspark, Colorado, USA
“Reading this story and Barry's journey helped give me a deeper
understanding of the worlds we find ourselves in and our own personal
journey. It is also an invitation to step towards our angst and away from
it at the same time. In this particular time, this Letter to the System seems
urgent. What is our responsibility to get clear and make decisions based
on our clarity? The Letter is brave and courageous and invites us to be
brave and courageous as well.”
Marsha Coleman,
Philadelphia, PA, USA
