They can be permeable membranes or solid walls that block movement. The flow of work and information against boundaries is critical to the success of every child welfare agency. Each unit should be viewed and view itself as a team working on a task. Defining that team s members, its skills and tools, and its responsibilities are key to performance. It s easy to say that mistakes offer rich opportunities for learning, but it is difficult in practice to create the necessary climate of respectful, direct talk without recrimination.
Continuous feedback is of prime importance.
Systemic thinking helps leaders distinguish among tasks they can delegate and those they must do themselves. Creating a shared vision to guide movement, for example, must involve everyone in the agency if it is to work. The complete manual that includes tools and strategies that can help identify and address organizational problems systemically in child welfare agencies.