Why use systems thinking?  Oh how I wish I had the proverbial nickel for every time I have been asked that question over the last twenty years.  It is a good question and there are many great answers:  It is a proven, researched method for helping individuals and organizations achieve their desired results.  It helps surface multiple points of view to determine how those mental models will impact the outcome of decisions. Fundamentally systems thinking offers a lens to see how a system behaves so that we can begin to identify ways to make changes and achieve something new.

Recently I was at a convening where the speaker asked a different question.  She said, “why don’t we use systems thinking?  What are the barriers that keep us from applying these proven methods consistently?  As is the barrier with so many things we want to do,  almost all of the responses had some connection to a lack of time:  Systems thinking takes a lot of time to learn.  It takes more time to assemble people to consider their varying perspectives. We know what needs to be done, so why not just do it.  The clear consensus as to why not systems thinking:  a lack of time.

All of these references to time made me think about the Habit, a systems thinker considers an issue fully and resists the urge to come to a quick conclusion.  Teaching that Habit is filled with discussion about those times when a quick decision is necessary and appropriate.  Clearly there is no consideration needed when preventing a toddler from wandering into traffic or evacuating a burning building. Further exploration of this Habit reveals that too often we take our most important decisions and prioritize efficiency over thoughtfulness. As I walked about that meeting room and read the reasons why we don’t use systems thinking, I was struck by the idea that we are being duped by the “myth of efficiency.”

Myth is defined as “a widely held, but false belief or idea.”  Efficiency is “the ability to achieve an end goal with little or no waste, effort, or energy.”  Perhaps we are sacrificing our opportunities to create those desired results based upon the false belief that we can do so with little to no waste, effort or energy.  I am not suggesting that we intentionally make poor decisions because we don't want to put forth effort, but rather that we are caught up in a time where the value of efficiency takes precedence over the need for thoughtful consideration, aided by the proven tools and Habits of systems thinking.

To varying degrees in varying cultures we like fast:  fast food, fast tech, fast cars.  Drive throughs and microwaves serve up meals in minutes.  Faster computers mean more information at our fingertips without the need to head out to the library for a few hours of research. Fast cars, while fun, represent a mechanization that has moved us from a three mile an hour walking pace to a  go-anywhere-at-any-time pace. Mechanization has changed food production from small farms to large-scale, fully automated production operations.  None of these things are inherently bad or evil, but they each fuel our myth of efficiency.  They reinforce the belief that faster is better. 

Thinking about food and specifically bread, I think there are some lessons we can learn about why efficiency really is a myth.  Take a minute to conjure in your mind the image of a freshly baked loaf of sourdough bread, the taste, the smell, the texture with a nice golden crust on the outside and a soft chewy inside.  Solidify that image.  Having recently begun my own personal experiment with sourdough starter, I can assure you that a perfect loaf of bread is not produced quickly nor efficiently. One of my first realizations was that part of the process of achieving a really healthy sourdough starter is that you have to discard part of the starter daily.  Having been taught, “waste not want not” I tried several ways to skip that step, which one morning resulted in a kitchen counter covered with mounds of sticky, smelly starter.  Enough about my bread making learning curve, the point is that working toward a desired result can be worth the extra time.  Sometimes we have to let go of ideas, just like I need to put some starter in the trash.  One of my favorite quotes from our founder Jim Waters is “never fall in love with your first best idea.” I must confess I am often enamored with a new idea that comes to me early in the morning or perhaps in the shower.  I can get a little giddy when I think of an ideal solution, a new way to approach a conflict  or decide it is time to try something new (yes like baking my own bread.)  Sometimes those ideas work out great, but often when I venture off into that new idea without due consideration, I end up causing undesirable, unintended consequences.  Or sometimes I am unsuccessful at something that I could have done well because I didn’t take the time necessary to consider the bigger picture.

Another axiom I have heard often during my work in systems thinking is “slower is faster.” It is definitely true in learning.  When we take time to go a bit more deeply, to establish a foundation, we can then become increasingly proficient.  When young children have a well developed sense of story, they can master the intricacies of written language.  As I learn to “read” my sourdough starter, I am confident I will someday achieve that perfect loaf of bread.  As we seek to develop our systems thinking expertise, the more thoroughly we understand the basic tools, Habits and principles, the more readily we are able to  apply systems thinking in multiple contexts and for multiple purposes. An initial investment of time and effort up front, can lead to greater efficiency down the road.

Applying a systems thinking approach to complex problems will require some time, energy and effort.  Yet a strong case can be made that that is not a waste, but rather a means to get to a better outcome.  And perhaps with practice that better outcome will eventually come more quickly, with greater efficiency.  Madeline Hunter, educational theorist, said, “practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent.  Systems are complex and solving problems in a complex world is difficult, but with appropriate time, energy and effort, or practice, systems thinking can become part of the way we approach those problems.  We will more often consider multiple perspectives, recognize conflicting beliefs and arrive at high leverage solutions.  System thinking is an investment which nets a big return.  It can indeed make the world a better place, but it will require us not to fall in love with our first best idea, but rather to consider issues fully.