One challenge of system leadership always has been that even with the best data and research in place, with all the programmatic and political dimensions under control and with years of experience handling similar decisions, you never really know whether a policy initiative will work until you implement it. That is why anyone who has been a school administrator tends to firmly believe in the old truism that leadership is part art and part science. Still, a tantalizing possibility continues to entice decision makers: What if you could try out an initiative before you had to put it in place? What if you had a process that went beyond focus groups, committees and even pilot projects and could simulate the possible effect of an initiative on your system? Curiously, such a process does exist and has been used by a who's who of major international corporations. The process is called system dynamics and has been in use for several decades since its creation by Jay Forrester, professor emeritus of management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A list of 5 additional resources is also included.