The Art Of Thinking In Systems: Improve Your Logic, Think More Critically, And Use Proven Systems To Solve Your Problems Strategic Planning For Everyday Life pdfdrive com

Chapter 4: How to Shift from Linear Thinking
Patterns to Systems Thinking
Now that we have determined that there is a time and place for all types of
thinking, let’s explore how to shift our thinking away from linear thinking to
systems thinking when we need to.
Is it a Problem or a Symptom?
The first step in moving away from linear thinking to systems thinking is to
decide if something is actually the problem or simply a symptom of something
deeper. Linear thinking is usually concerned with focusing on symptoms. It
tends to stay on the surface to examine behaviors instead of digging deeper to
find the true problem before correcting the symptoms.
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Think of it like when you go to visit the doctor because you are not feeling well.
If the doctor just works to eliminate your symptoms without finding out the real
cause of your illness, your problem won’t ever get solved. In fact, correcting the
symptoms without getting to the root of the problem may end up making things
worse, because unintended side-effects may arise. The same is true of linear
thinking when systems thinking is needed. If you take the time to carefully
analyze the system’s behavior patterns, elements, interconnections, and purpose
or function, you can discover and solve the real problem, and you will often find
that the symptoms have taken care of themselves and been eliminated as well.
How can you tell if something is the real problem or just a symptom of
something bigger? Here are eight clues, based on the work of Jim Ollhoff and

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Michael Walcheski, to look for as you try to determine if what you are focused
on is part of a larger problem or actually the problem itself.
1. The size of the problem doesn’t fit the amount of time and energy you are
spending on it. If the issue seems smaller than the effort you are putting into
addressing it, chances are it is simply a symptom and not the true problem.
2. People have the power to solve the problem, but choose not to. If they would
rather spend their time complaining as opposed to fixing the situation, you are
likely dealing with a symptom of a bigger problem.
3. You have tried to solve the problem repeatedly and haven’t been successful —
if you keep trying to solve a problem, but it changes into a related issue or keeps
turning up again like a bad penny — the odds are good that you haven’t
uncovered the real problem yet.
4. There is an emotional barrier that stands in the way of solving the problem. If
there are some things that people in an organization seem unwilling to address or
even talk about, they are acting as an obstacle to imagination and innovation,
and won’t get solved until you break through the true problem.
5. If the problem has a pattern and seems to be predictable, it is probably a
symptom of something more.
6. If a problem is kept around, an organization may subconsciously like it, and it
may give them some comfort in being able to focus on it instead of getting to the
real problem and fixing it permanently.
7. If an organization seems stressed out and anxious, it is quite likely that only
symptoms are being focused on and the real problems are not being addressed.
People may be afraid to speak their minds about the true nature of their
concerns.
8. Just as you “solve” one problem, another one pops up in its place. If an
organization is more focused on finding a cause and effect connection and fixing

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it quickly as in linear thinking, you may find that it becomes like playing whack-
a-mole. New related issues will keep popping up as symptoms until the deeper
problem is addressed.
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