If you want to find out about systems thinking or systems theory go to Wikipedia for guidance, you may decide that you do not want to explore these crucial topics further. Wikipedia shows that systems thinking and systems theory are vast topics that have attracted some of the best minds of the 20th century. However, you may find the unfamiliar language and the range of detail and variety in the material offered by Wikipedia a total turn-off.
That would be a great shame, because without a basic understanding of key systems concepts and methodologies, you will not be able to play a useful part in tackling the huge threats looming over the human family in the 21st Century.
On the other hand, by concentrating on just a few aspects of systems thinking and systems theory, I could be accused of "bowdlerisation" from "systems professionals" in academia, and perhaps the Wikipedia community. It is a risk I have to take as I try to set you on the road to becoming a systems thinker yourself.
I think you should start literally at ground level, by watching the little videos available by clicking on “YOU TOO CAN BE A SYSTEMS THINKER”. They show that, if properly applied by perfectly normal people, systems thinking can transform even the most mundane of tasks, such as filling-in hundreds of pot-holes in rural roads.
Then I think you should BOOK-MARK the Systems Thinking Review site and sign up for John Seddon's monthly newsletter. I would then read a few of the articles and books he has written.
They show the very real benefits to customers and employees from applying systems thinking in the real world of local government and business in the UK and elsewhere for the past thirty years or so. He bases his practice on the concepts and methodologies developed by W. EDWARDS DEMING and TAIICHI OHNO, the father of the legendary TOYOTA PRODUCTION SYSTEM. And he is wonderfully combative and impolite.
Along the way, as John says, look at your own organisation, or an organisation that you deal with, and try to apply basic systems thinking to understand what is right or wrong with it. A light-bulb may go on.
Take this contractor supplying repair services for public housing, quoted in John's latest newsletter:
“Firstly I guess that I should share with you what an absolute life changing experience it has been for me. Especially when you consider I would have argued ‘till I was blue in the face that you could not have improved our service to our customers – well I can tell you I wouldn’t have believed how wrong I could have been. I have had what you could call a massive wake up call, a light has been switched on in my brain, and at last, instead of learning on the hoof, for the first time in my life I have a direction and structure to my business, which as you will imagine reduces stress levels immeasurably."
"My first question to [my Vanguard helper] was "is system thinking just about business or for the greater good of people"? And I was delighted to go on to understand that both are fully catered for, and systems thinking goes hand in hand with both.“
He was helped by one of John's advisers, but if you need help you know where to reach me and John also loves helping people liberate themselves from the Command and Control lobotomy.
