Perspectives That Serve # 28 - Whole Systems Thinking

The “Whole Systems” Perspective is the practice of stepping away from the single focus of the tree and looking at the entire forest. It is the discipline or framework for seeing wholes, patterns, and interrelationships. We usually focus on isolated parts of the system rather than looking at how the system connects and interacts. Domino Toppling is one metaphor to explain it. If it is staged properly, the push of a single domino can set off a chain reaction of other dominoes going down in multiple lines and directions. All businesses, economies, eco-systems, everything operates like this.

Many times the solution is miles away from where the problem presents itself. Case in point: Medically, if you want to protect your heart from heart disease, floss your teeth daily. Who would have thought that gingivitis resulting from poor dental hygiene would have anything to do with heart disease, but it does.

The systems thinking mental model recognizes that solving one problem often creates other problems. For example, years ago I committed myself to a lifetime of vigorous exercise that would help me solve the problem of weight gain and poor health. In the first few years this worked great...until I began to experience over use injuries. First it was rotator cuff problems in racquetball. I took up running and triathlon's which led to sciatica and lower back problems. This all has forced me to step back and consider a more holistic approach that involves a more measured exercise regimen using elliptical trainers, treadmills set at a mild incline to reduce pounding, and targeted strength training to develop the muscles around my shoulder and back.
In selling, the whole systems model helped me to step back and look at how what I did affected the other departments in the company. Just focusing on the isolated parts that I’ve been assigned responsibility for didn’t work very good. I learned to look at the whole company and the needs of each department. If you want to read a good primer on this, I recommend, The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge. It is in my top ten of life changing books. It is deep reading, but I believe it can change your life too.