Foreword xv
by Anthony Mackay

Part 1: A Secret World 3

Nuance Meets Dynamic Complexity 5

The Original Six Secrets 13

The Big Decline 19

Deepening Economic Inequality 19

Turning the System on Its Head 29

Stuck 42

Part 2: Real Secrets Are Mysterious and Deep 47

The New Six Secrets 51

1. Secret One: Love Your Employees: Spirit Work 52

A Long Way to Go 58

2. Secret Two: Connect Peers with Purpose: Contextual Literacy 61

3. Secret Three: Capacity Building Prevails: Connected Autonomy 64

Hire and Cultivate Talented People: 2008 69

Hire and Cultivate Talented People: 2025 70

4. Secret Four: Learning Is the Work: Legacy Leaders 72

Transcendent Thinking 80

Emotion and Cognition Meets Learning 86

Where to Next 90

5. Secret Five: Transparency Rules: Trust and Interact 94

Leadership Skill: Trust and Interact 94

A Bridge Not Far Enough 99

6. Secret Six: Systems Learn 102

Part 3: Systemness Change and the Future 109

In Search of a Better Future 113

The Big Change Model (BCM), AI, and All That 113

The Big Change Model (BCM) 114

Change Management 116

Applied AI 120

Be Critical Consumer of AI 124

The Allure and Price of Superficiality 127

Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) 130

Systemness in Action 139

Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) 139

Harnessing Complexity: The Learning Flywheel 144

The Future 149

Restructuring/Reculturing 155

The Role of Youth in Determining Our Future 157

Systemness: Change the Way We Think About Change 161

References 165

Acknowledgments 175

About the Author 177

Index 179

The Six Secrets of Change 2.0

What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive