Think in Systems by Zoe McKey

Author:Zoe McKey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: systems thinker, rational thinking, holistic thinking, interdependence, thinking in systems
Publisher: Zoe McKey
Published: 2020-06-06T16:00:00+00:00

Start to adopt this way of looking at events and things slowly. Introduce it gradually to your work life and personal life.

Chapter 7 - Solving Everyday and Complex Problems with Systems Thinking

IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, we learned that when solving a problem, we tend to look at the problem or the symptoms of the problem. What we actually need to focus on is the ecosystem that this problem exists in. Something like global warming can’t just be thought of as the world getting warmer. The problem lives within everyone’s homes, the cars we drive, and the pollution we are creating.

Systems thinking takes a problem and looks at it as a whole. It’s a broader way to effectively problem-solve. Jay Forrester in his book The Fifth Discipline defines systems thinking as follows: “Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static ‘snapshots.’”

Instead of seeing the photo of what the problem is, we can look at the patterns and interactions which make up the problem itself. Like Albert Einstein said, “The problems cannot be solved using the same level of thinking that created them.” Problems around us are often dependent on external factors, like with global warming. Instead of looking at global warming as rising temperatures, systems thinking allows us to see the interrelationships between human interference, laws of nature, chemistry and physics, and how they affect global warming.

The Approach of Systems Thinking

Everyone talks about analyzing problems, and the word “analyze” literally means “to break into parts.” We talked about systems thinking using synthesis to study how elements interact with each other within a system and with other systems. Instead of breaking down a situation into smaller parts, systems thinking expands your vision to a big-picture view where the problem lies. While this is extremely effective for complex issues, it can also work well for solving everyday issues that you encounter. What can we use systems thinking for in our everyday lives?

- Any complex issue where multiple actors are involved to help them see the airplane view of the problem, not just their individual parts in it. For example, family quarrels, workplace disagreements, etc.

- Problems that don’t seem to go away even though there were attempts to solve them.

- Problems with non-obvious solutions.

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