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Why Systems Thinking?

Benefits Impact Stories from the Field
No matter your role in a particular system, you are vital to the way that system behaves and the outcomes it produces. The Waters Center is internationally recognized for helping people improve performance and results through our customized approach.

Our Impact

With over three decades of experience, the Waters Center has helped people around the globe approach learning, teaching and leading with confidence through the Habits, tools and strategies of systems thinking. We are known for making our capacity building accessible, impactful, and relevant to day-to-day decision making.
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Our global network includes over 80 countries, and counting!

“The Waters Center is leaving a legacy of a new generation of thinkers and leaders who understand how decisions and actions impact systems and people, both over the short-term and for years to come.”
- Naomi Karp, (Retired) Sr. Director of Early Childhood Professional Development at United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona

The Power of Meaningful Connections

The Waters Center is an internationally recognized leader in systems thinking capacity building. Through virtual and in person learning opportunities, large scale events, and use of Waters Center products and resources, we have made many connections and impacted hundreds of thousands of people including educators, teachers, students, business and community members.
The graph shown is one example of our impact. Our free, online learning system, the Thinking Tools Studio, has seen significant growth in monthly and cumulative subscribers. Users benefit from applicable courses on the Habits, tools and archetypes of systems thinking in addition to an array of resources which are updated on a regular basis.

“Systems thinking (and the Waters Center) has provided the opportunity for our district employees to develop new skills and behaviors to resolve long-standing issues that have historically impacted student achievement.”
- Dr. Steven Martinez, Superintendent, Twin Rivers Unified School District

Systems Thinking for Everyone

We've helped people from a variety of industries and areas build their systems thinking capacity, including:
By integrating systems thinking into healthcare systems, organizations we work with enhance patient outcomes through improved coordination of care, driven by cross-disciplinary collaboration. They also strengthen their ability to address root causes, such as social determinants of health. In medical education, systems thinking has shaped curricula, with our resources appearing in multiple textbooks.
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Teachers who integrate systems thinking into their classrooms notice that students gain agency in their learning and relationships. The Habits and tools equip students with a framework for critical thinking , effective communication methods, and a deeper sense of belonging, empowering them to recognize their role within the school community.
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School buildings and systems become more efficient, adaptable, and, most importantly, improve student achievement when leaders apply systems thinking to structure organizations and guide decisions. By fostering alignment across district functions and recognizing interdependencies, leaders create more cohesive strategies, streamline operations, and cultivate environments where both students and educators thrive.
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Systems thinking capacity building has supported administration and academic departments in strategic efforts to serve students and their communities. Universities in the United States and internationally have sought our support for curriculum design and delivery. We have supplied resources and materials for existing courses, provided course design services, and members of our staff have served as guest lecturers and adjunct instructors.
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Systems thinking in higher education administration strengthens connections between academic and business units, promoting collaboration and alignment. This reduces redundancy, improves efficiency, and helps institutions navigate challenges. By recognizing interdependencies, leaders can streamline operations while staying focused on student success, ensuring resilience and long-term sustainability.
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We work with leading early childhood (EC) organizations; state Departments of Education; large foundations; and nonprofit organizations to promote the belief that all young children deserve high quality care and education.
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The Habits and tools of systems thinking provide adults with a myriad of ways to help children with problem-solving and decision making, both inside and outside of the classroom. Our Habits and tools foster executive functioning and help children find their place in the world.
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Systems thinking empowers nonprofits to stay mission-driven while adapting to stakeholder needs and evolving challenges. By recognizing interconnections within their ecosystem, organizations enhance decision-making, foster continuous learning, and refine their strategies. This approach shifts the focus from addressing symptoms to driving systemic change, creating lasting impact and meaningful community transformation.
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Governments at all levels benefit from systems thinking by recognizing interdependencies, improving cross-agency collaboration, and optimizing resources. This approach uncovers root causes rather than just symptoms and ensures decisions account for long-term, short-term, and unintended consequences. By fostering resilience and equity, systems thinking helps leaders create more effective and sustainable policies.
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Corporations that adopt systems thinking improve cross-functional collaboration, drive development, and optimize talent growth. By recognizing interdependencies, leaders identify synergies that boost efficiency, innovation, and alignment. This approach helps businesses adapt to market shifts, streamline decision-making, and foster a culture of continuous learning, ensuring long-term resilience and a competitive edge.
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Systems thinking capacity building strengthens strategic planning, enhances grant-making, improves stakeholder engagement, and refines evaluation for collective impact organizations. It fosters deeper relationships among partners by recognizing interdependencies, aligning efforts, and building trust. Successful collective impact relies on systemic alignment, and systems thinking provides the tools to drive collaboration, meaningful change, and amplify long-term community impact.
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In a complex and rapidly changing environment, systems thinking helps businesses identify root causes, uncover interdependencies, and develop adaptive strategies to plan strategically. This approach strengthens decision-making, enhances operational efficiency, and enables businesses to align efforts for sustainable growth. By applying systems thinking, small businesses can navigate challenges more effectively and position themselves for long-term success.
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Healthcare

PreK-12 Ed

PreK-12 Admin

Higher Ed Academic

Higher Ed Admin

Early Childhood

Parenthood

Non-Profits

Government

Corporations

Collective Impact Orgs

Small Business

“I came across systems thinking as a school of thought only three years ago but have been regularly amazed by the power it holds. I’m also often struck by how our most successful projects adopted systems thinking techniques before we even realized consciously what we were doing. The ability to see, understand and influence systems is one of the greatest capability needs in business (and in the world, generally).”
- Chief Communications Officer, Fortune 500 Company

Learning With the Waters Center

“Systems thinking and the work of the Waters Center has promoted deeper thinking and learning at my school. I’ve found that teachers can better facilitate critical and visual thinking in students, and work with multiple perspectives in an organized fashion. I’ve seen that students can better justify and explain content. Systems thinking not only stretches thinking, but it also simplifies it in the most beneficial way.”
- Former Principal, Lee County Schools, Alabama

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How can we help you?

Whether you are new to systems thinking or a seasoned practitioner, we have a variety of offerings and ways to connect.