Case Studies

Our work with clients is documented (with permission) and published as detailed examples of our work.

In this section there is also a series of key short conceptual papers.

A video of Ian's presentation to the Academi Wales Summer School in July 2015 is available to watch here

​The Macdonald Associates online library of Systems Leadership materials can be found here


Mining/Construction

The Century Story

by Joe Grimmond

How the ideas were used in the context of building a major open cut mine in Australia.

I.T.

Organising Corporate Computing: A History of the Application of Theory

by Catherine G. Burke and Daniel L. Smith

How the ideas can be used in the context of IT work which, although is concerned with technical knowledge, can only be successful if people understand their work.

Finance

Effective Leadership Programme, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

by Geoff McGill

​How the ideas were used to develop and build a successful culture of leadership and teamwork in one of Australia’s major banks.

Mining Maintenance

Inco Limited Divisional Shops

by Fred Stanford

​How members of a large company’s component repair shop in Canada transformed their productivity through applying the ideas and eventually successfully competed with external source providers.

Education

'A Journey to the Reality of Accountability' 
Western Cape College: The First Three Years

by Derek Hunter

​How the ideas were applied in the context of state education including a high proportion of indigenous students.

Metals Industry

The Return to Work Process at Kaiser Aluminium
A Case Study in the Practical Application of System Leadership Modelling

by Phillip Bartlett

​After a bitter strike, the return to work process designed by SLT principles avoided the expected conflict and poor productivity.

Education

The Leadership Programme at Kormilda College

by David Dadswell and Derek Hunter

​Description of a training programme used with staff and students to build a new understanding of leadership and teamwork across cultures.

Metals Industry

New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited

by David Brewer

​An account of a full application of SLT to bring about one of the most significant changes in New Zealand’s work practices and industrial relations extending to highly significant production savings and improved working relationships.

Mining

Building New Mythologies: Countering Negative Views of 'The Management' 
Organisational Development Strategy in Pacific Coal​

by Phillip Bartlett

Using the ideas in a highly traditional and historically adversarial “them and us” culture to challenge established behaviours and assumptions.

Church

Parish life in the Anglican Diocese of Perth, Western Australia
The Bellevue-Darlington Story

by Michael Evers and Philip Biggs

​A use of the concepts in a highly sensitive Church context where two parishes merged successfully and avoided many usual pitfalls.

Technical Engineering

Working Together with Engineers

by Roy Feltham

​Using the ideas to help a highly knowledgeable technical group to improve their working relationships and ‘people skills’ to become even more effective.

Short Papers

Our People: Perceptions & Values

In order to build and maintain effective, cohesive teams, leaders need to understand what their team members value.

The Process of Culture Change

It is one thing to create a cohesive team, but as a leader you must be leading people somewhere.

Tools of Leadership

Systems, Symbols & Behaviour

The Role of Dissonance in Culture Change

To change the culture, leaders must introduce changes that create dissonance

Work Complexity

How does the different work at different levels in an organisation add value?

Authority and Accountability

If I am to hold someone accountable for their work, what authority do they need?

Our People: Capability

How do we know that a person can do the job?

Our Behaviour: Teamwork

Effective teamwork is essential to any organisation achieving its vision.

Task Assignment

Both those assigning tasks and those to whom tasks are assigned want the tasks completed. How can that best happen?

What is Work?

Do we know what we mean by work?