Systems Thinking Path

 

Introduction to Systems Thinking I and II
Ginny Wiley, Pegasus Communications, Inc.; Kristina Wile, the Systems Thinking Collaborative

Systems thinking—seeing the underlying structures that drive our behavior and the interconnections in our world—is a key management skill for the 21st century. Understanding the power of structure can let leaders unlock their organization’s potential and avoid unintended consequences.

In this two-part workshop:

• Learn why systems thinking is the keystone of organizational learning.
• Through hands-on activities, practice basic causal looping skills and experience the dynamics of structural traps.
• Build a foundation of systems thinking knowledge and explore new ways to address the complex issues in your organization.

For those who are new to the field, this path presents an excellent opportunity to explore the vocabulary and tools of systems thinking and their application to organizations in ways geared to all types of learners.

Facilitators

Ginny Wiley is president of Pegasus Communications, Inc. Prior to coming to Pegasus in 1996, she worked at GKA, a systems thinking consulting company, as a consultant and trainer. Before that, she spent 12 years building the Huenefeld Company, a consulting firm for book publishers. Ginny serves on the Policy Council of the International System Dynamics Society and holds an MBA from Northeastern University.

Kristina Wile is a managing partner of the Systems Thinking Collaborative. She has been using systems thinking and related learning practices to help organizations understand highly complex issues for more than 10 years. Kris has a master's degree from MIT's Sloan School of Management, and prior to that, worked as an electronics engineer.