By David Sibbet

See a preview of David's Systems Thinking in Action keynote

Why is visual practice and visual thinking essential for high performance on many of today's teams? I think it is because visual practice is not only the doorway into being able to think about and address system-level problems, but is in fact an essential language.

Step back for a minute and reflect on what laypeople mean by "systems" when they say, "It's a systemic problem," or "this will take a systematic approach," or "we have to keep the whole system in mind as we do our work." I believe that people talk about systems when they are trying to understand things that are connected but cannot be experienced in one direct encounter.

If that is the case, then we must compile the understanding over a series of experiences. We do so by making displays in our mind or in some kind of media--paper or electronic. We create a "model" that holds the different data points we've collected and allows us to look at relationships. In this case, "look at" is not a metaphor, but what we are actually doing. Our sense of connection and integration is rooted in our visual sense. When we can diagram, model, or represent a system, then we think we understand it.

Why should you participate in the 21st annual Systems Thinking in Action Conference? As part of our learning community in Seattle, WA, this fall, you will:

1. Be Inspired and Provoked by Bold New Ideas. Every year, our stellar line-up of keynote speakers prompts new thinking and approaches to our organizational and global challenges.
2. Expand Your Complexity Management Skillset. Choose from a wide range of sessions designed to give you the skills and tools you need to create sustainable success in your home setting.
3. Learn from Real-Life Application. Take away stories, tips, and lessons learned from organizations that have implemented a variety of systemic approaches.
4. Network, Network, Network. Exchange questions, perspectives--and business cards--with participants from a wide range of organizational sectors and industries.
5. Experience Different Learning Modalities. We integrate graphic facilitation, music, experiential learning, and conversation into the program to enhance your ability to absorb and process the material.
6. Make Meaning Together. Sessions include time for you to engage with others to make meaning of your learnings so you can apply them back in the office.
7. Create a Plan for Putting Your Conference Take-Aways into Action. Attend the optional "Bringing It Home" session scheduled after the end of the conference to refine your action plan.
8. Make the Most of Your Team Experience. Attend with a team and participate in the "Teams Program" to establish your team's conference learning plan and post-conference goals.
9. Participate in Pre- and Post-Conference Workshops. Maximize your travel dollars by participating in a pre- and/or post-conference workshop (separate registration required) and deepen your learning on topics ranging from facilitating systems thinking interventions to transforming "stuckness" into innovation.
10. Enjoy All That Seattle Has to Offer! This year's conference hotel, the Westin Seattle, is located in the heart of the city, close to attractions such as the Pike Place Market and the Space Needle.

Register by September 30 and save! Questions about how the conference might best serve your needs? Contact Mark Alpert at malpert@pegasuscom.com or 781-398-9700.

By By Bob Doppelt

Capital is now flowing into clean technology sectors, in part to reduce climate-damaging carbon emissions. However, as important as new technologies are, we won't solve the climate crises until we overcome a much more fundamental problem: our maladaptive beliefs and practices.

A large body of research shows that we humans frequently make poor decisions, especially when confronted with novel problems. In general, humans are not skilled at assessing risk, especially when the threat is new. People frequently misjudge the future effects of their behavior and often underestimate the consequences of changes occurring in their environment.