Did you know that thinking about the full system of chocolate chip cookies gave Dr. Leyla Acaroglu the inspiration to start The UnSchool? It’s true!
We believe 110% that thinking in systems is a critical tool for positive change, and in this journal post, we’re excited to dive further into the superpower that is systems thinking!
What is Systems Thinking?
Systems thinking is the ability to see the whole before the parts, and it's fundamental to the Disruptive Design Method.
The world is full of big messy complex social, political, and environmental problems, which are all part of bigger systems at play. In order to help disrupt the underlying issues, we need to first understood what is going on.
From climate change to the rise in racism, homelessness, child exploitation, global politics and ocean plastic waste, these problems are all part of complex interconnected systems.
Taking a systems approach enables you to develop a more dynamic and intimate understanding of the elements and agents at play within the problem arena, so you can identify opportunities for intervention.
This is our simple 6-step flow to making change from a systems standpoint
Tools such as systems mapping are critical to overcoming the reductive mindset we were all taught in school — a mindset that teaches us to break the world down into individual and manageable parts, rather than see the complex, interconnected whole. (Leyla wrote more about the education systems failures here, if you want to dive in!)
From Linear to Circular
Reductive thinking is what has led to the exploitative economy. In order to get to a circular economy, we need systems thinking.
“Problems are just unaddressed opportunities waiting for creative minds to tackle them. ”
By taking a systems approach, we can each undo the linear and rigid mindsets that helped create the problems to begin with.
Thankfully, humans naturally have a curious and intuitive understanding of complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems. So, it’s really not that hard to rewire our thinking systems from linear to expanded, from 1-dimensional to 3-dimensional thinking.
UnSchool Kuching Fellowship participants engage in a systems mapping exercise during one of their sessions
Our Systems Thinking online course is one of our most popular classes for a reason: systems thinking is a superpower that anyone can access to make change.
We also have a handy 10 Day Email Micro Course, Systems Thinking 101, that is just $19 USD and is the perfect entry point for anyone beginning their systems journey!
If you've already taken our Systems Thinking course, or have expertise in this area, then take a look at our advanced Systems Interventions course to learn to see critical relationships, understand feedback loops, and conduct consequence analyses. You will also establish causal relationships and gain radical insights into systems dynamics.
Want more change-making superpowers? Download our free Superpower Activation Toolkit for others like Problem Loving, Future Focus and more!
Questions or suggestions? Reach out to us via programs@unschools.co
