DEMOS

ADVANCE TITLE INFORMATION

Leading change
A guide to whole systems working

Margaret Attwood, Mike Pedler, Sue Pritchard and David Wilkinson,
Whole Systems Development.

With forewords by
David Fillingham, Director NHS Modernisation Agency
and Will Hutton, Chief Executive, The Work Foundation.

There is continuing government pressure on public services to 'reform' and change.
Expectations of new forms and standards of delivery, joined-up practice and the reconnection
of services to users are high. Unfortunately, many policy makers have
become dangerously reliant on mechanistic top-down audit and inspection regimes
as the means of implementation.
This book sets out to redress the balance. It argues powerfully that whole systems
approaches are required to lead the changes towards the demands for new service
configurations, partnership working and local and neighbourhood governance. The
book outlines the theory behind whole systems development and gives good practice
guidance on how to effectively develop 'systems' to improve joined-up working.
The authors have developed this approach from their extensive experience of
consulting, researching and managing in a variety of fields - including organisation
development, community development and management of public services. They
have done this through:

• exploring the 'five keys' to whole systems development - leadership, public learning, diversity, meeting differently and follow-through;
• setting this is in the context of five policy dilemmas and ten core values;
• moving towards new forms of organising - towards communities of practice and managed networks.

This book should be read by both policy-makers and practitioners across the public,
private, not-for-profit, voluntary and community sectors, and especially the many
who are seeking a better way to manage change. It is written in the hope and
anticipation of reconnecting policy and practice, and all those engaged in these
vital fields.
Contents: Joint Preface Will Hutton and David Fillingham; Prologue; Why do we
need whole systems change?; How do we put these fine words into action? An
overview of whole systems development; The emerging practice of whole systems
development; Leadership: keeping the big picture in view; Public learning; Valuing
difference and diversity: getting the whole system into the room; Meeting
differently: large and small group working; Follow-through and sticking with it;
From organisations to networks; Confirming cases: local problems and local
solutions within whole systems; Epilogue.


Paperback £19.99 ISBN 1 86134 449 X
234 x 156mm 192 pages tbc February 2003
Available from:
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