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 11: Key Takeaways from Systems Thinking
Systems thinking is a whole new way for us to look at ourselves, our businesses,
our relationships, and the world around us. It is such a paradigm shift from our
more traditional ways of thinking that it becomes a guiding philosophy for the
way we approach and analyze so many parts of our lives. It involves being aware
that the choices we make may have unintended consequences, so they deserve
careful and deliberate thought.
Systems thinking at its core starts with observing data and events, looking for
patterns in behavior that occur over time, uncovering the structures that are the
driving forces behind the behavior, studying and changing the structures that are
no longer helpful, using our curiosity to be open to a variety of possible
solutions to a problem, and ultimately being brave enough to choose the best
possible long-term solution rather than an easy fix, or just the one that is the
most popular.
Why use systems thinking?
Knowledge is power. When we know better, we do better. Systems thinking
expands our thinking and opens us up to many possible solutions as we look at
problems in new ways. We can make more informed choices, knowing that there
is no such thing as a perfect solution and every choice we make will impact
other parts of the system because it is all interconnected. Systems thinking
allows us to be aware of the impact of our choices and to do everything in our
power to limit any negative consequences that may arise from them.

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When should we use systems thinking?
Systems thinking is very effective in helping to solve a variety of complex
problems. If the concern is important, the problem has occurred repeatedly and
has a history that can be studied and analyzed, and people have tried to solve the
problem in the past with little or no success, it is a prime candidate for a systems
thinking approach.