Systems Thinking as a Platform for the Improved Performance of Leaders and the Effectiveness of Public Organizations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of systems thinking on the performance of leaders of public organizations in Tehran and the effectiveness of their organizations. It was an applied, descriptive and correlational research. The statistical population of the study consisted of all public organizations in Tehran. According to Morgan's table, the sample size was 80. Data were collected from top and middle managers of the organizations being studied using representative sampling method and questionnaires. Results show that systemic thinking has an impact on leadership performance and organizational effectiveness, leadership performance has an impact on organizational effectiveness, and leadership performance plays a mediating role in the relationship between systems thinking and organizational effectiveness. That is to say systems thinking can bring about high levels of organizational effectiveness with the help of improved leadership performance components including strategic performance, personal performance as well as interactive leadership performance outcomes such as: following up strategic planning, implementing and monitoring organizational perspectives and missions, collaborating with others, organizing effective teams, creating appropriate organizational climate, encouraging learning in the organization, and the like.