Systems Thinking
Understanding of and skills in working with complex and systemic conditions and causalities.
Micro-VCoL Exercises
Below are three exercises for developing systems thinking. Choose one to focus on for at least a week before trying another.
Exercise 1: The Connection Trace
Practice seeing how things are connected by tracing relationships and ripple effects beyond the immediate and obvious.
Practice when considering any action, decision, or change. Use it when something unexpected happens, when planning, or when analysing a problem.
When considering an action or observing an event, pause and ask: "What else does this connect to?" Trace at least three connections outward. Ask: "If this changes, what else might change?"
What connections did you notice that you would normally have missed? Did seeing connections change how you approached a situation?
Exercise 2: The Time Delay Check
Consider the time dimension of consequences: effects that may appear only after significant delays.
Practice when evaluating solutions, planning actions, or assessing the results of past decisions. Use it especially for sustainability-related decisions.
When considering a decision or evaluating results, ask: "What effects might appear later, not immediately?" Think in different time horizons: days, months, years, decades.
What delayed effects did you identify? Are there effects of current practices that might not be visible for years? How does considering time delays change your evaluation of decisions?
Exercise 3: The Feedback Loop Hunt
Train yourself to notice feedback loops, both reinforcing and balancing, in the systems around you.
Practice when observing any pattern that persists or changes over time: team dynamics, market trends, organizational behaviours, or project trajectories.
When you notice a pattern, ask: "What feedback loops might be creating or maintaining this?" Look for reinforcing loops where effects amplify causes, and balancing loops where effects counteract causes.
What feedback loops did you notice today? Were they reinforcing or balancing? Did seeing the loop change your understanding of the pattern?