Move Beyond Linear Thinking to Systems Thinking
Scott Miker
Linear thinking is a way of understanding the world that focuses on cause and effect, beginning and end, problem and solution, birth and death. It simplifies complex systems by focusing on only a few variables (often just 2) and ignoring the rest. This type of thinking is problematic because it fails to take into account the complexity of reality and the interconnectedness of all things.
For example, weather systems are incredibly complex and cannot be understood by only looking at a single variable, such as the time it will start or stop raining. Similarly, the U.S. healthcare system is a complex system that cannot be improved by making changes to only one aspect of it.
Disrupting a complex system can lead to unintended consequences and should be approached with caution. Systems thinking, on the other hand, recognizes the complexity of a system and takes into account the interconnectedness of all parts of the system. It acknowledges that all systems contain both good and bad elements and that any change made to one part of the system will have ripple effects throughout the entire system. This kind of thinking is important to achieve our personal and societal goals in a sustainable way.