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This is an awareness of how different organisation systems function. The veterinary professions are complex open systems, as discussed (Chapter 2), and different organisations will have different dynamics (Chapter 6). A good‐enough leader has awareness of the system in which they are leading, and this comes, in part, from an ability to step on the balcony and to hold complexity. But it also includes much more ‘mundane’ information such as who reports to who, who holds the purse strings, what interactions there are between departments and individuals, what mechanisms are in place to get things done, what gets in the way of effective functioning.

Whilst understanding the system around you, it is important not to get too bogged down in ‘one way of doing things’. Have a look at other organisations and systems. How do they work, and what are their key features? Get involved elsewhere if you have time and inclination; there are plenty of commercial, voluntary, professional, and charitable organisations that would be happy to provide a great learning experience in exchange for your services (See Chapter 6).

If you do not understand the way organisational systems work, you cannot know which levers to pull or, thinking strategically, might need to be changed to enhance the efficacy of your own domain.

Helga was on a mission to build a new kind of pathology business. She knew she wanted to bring the pathologist into the heart of case management, and she had ensured she had all the training and qualifications she needed. But she was less confident about how businesses worked. Obviously, she had some experience of practice and working in a university during her residency training, but there were plenty of other models out there. She resolved to find out and used her network to negotiate visits to a range of laboratories and other businesses in the next couple of months, as well as speaking with friends and colleagues to truly understand what she would need to build into her business vision.