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Systemic Thinking


What is systemic thinking and why is it so important? Since many centuries it has been practice to understand various things by deconstructing them and breaking apart different components into smaller pieces or parts. We analyse things and try to solve it. Analytical skills have been very important in our society and well recognised. Systemic thinking does not only allow thinking analytically but it also requires thinking holistically by understanding the problem through its complexities. Systemic thinking requires brain to make connection of one problem to another or the effect of one problem to another and encourages to approach in such a way that it does not only solve the problem but also avoids any unforeseen issues through different connections. It offers a better way to manage critical situations and improves the way we think in this 21st century. In many organisations, governments and businesses we hear shared leadership, integrative approach or holistic thinking; these are all parts of systemic thinking. Systemic thinking challenges today’s leadership and academia’s  to rationalise 21st centuries  world problems in such a way so it recognises externalities (positive & negative) and the costs of not recognising it and accordingly provide solutions to it. Our teachers are nurturing our tomorrow’s world. They must do everything possible to instil systemic thinking into our kids’ minds so when they grow up; they are taught to rationalise the problem from every possible angle and analyse the root cause instead of jumping to a solutions.

In sustainable world all short term solutions to our long term problems are useless and it is very critical for us to apply systemic thinking approach to our long term problems and look for the permanent and acceptable solutions; those solution’s that are of nature and support our quality of life. The world is changing fast and becoming more and more complex than ever before. The problems are becoming very difficult for anyone to understand. We humans are facing ever increasing problems of climate change, GHG emissions, environmental degradations, wastes and many more. Sustainable development offers the opportunity to approach all of these problems through systemic thinking. Economic, environmental and social are three dimensions of sustainable development demonstrates true example of systemic thinking approach.  

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