reflexivity

Something that is reflexive is directed back on itself.

Reflexivity occurs in a social system when self-analysis by an agent, or the analysis of the social system by theorists and the resultant development or modification of theory and beliefs, itself affects and constitutively changes the self or the system being examined. Analogous to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in the physical sciences, reflexivity is a serious methodological issue in the social sciences and raises serious questions regarding the possibility and nature of a social science. (Source: Wikipedia contributors, ""Reflexive,"" Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reflexive&oldid=105612047 (accessed March 20, 2007).)

In regard to how humans interact, including in management roles,there is the 'position of objective observer' as separate from participants that is central to traditional management methods, including all systemic strategy development methods. In contrast to this position is the 'reflexive position', where management, including strategists, realize they are participants in the process, co-constructing the solution. The reflexive position erases the duality of sometimes observer and sometimes participant, seeing every individual as both observer and participant.

The reflexive position makes clear sense, since a manager or strategist cannot step outside of the conversational processes they must engage in to perform their role. What they say affects what they hear and what they hear affects what they say. (Stacey, 2007, pp 440 441)