SPSF 2024 3rd-3
What is Systems Thinking?
Before reading a book about systems thinking, we should draw the elements of reality and lines to connect them. We can find that one element affects a lot of others and some of them affect back the first element. One solution is not always good for everything.
The first chapter of the below book (Stroh 2015) is titled, "Why Good Intentions Are Not Enough." We are first obliged to understand the whole system. Difference between conventional and systems thinking (Loc.420) (underline added):
- Conventional Thinking: The connection between problems and their causes is obvious and easy to trace; Others are to blame for our problems and must be the ones to change; A policy designed to achieve short-term success will also assure long-term success; In order to optimize the whole, we must optimize the parts; and Aggressively tackle many independent initiatives simultaneously.
- Systems Thinking: The relationship is indirect & not obvious; We unwittingly create our own prob & have significant control or influence in solving them through changing our behavior; Most quick fixes have unintended consequences - They make no difference / make matter worse in the long run; In order to optimize the whole, we must improve relationships among the parts; and Only a few key coordinated changes sustained over time will produce large systems change.
