The Importance of Being A 'Systems Thinker'
Oftentimes, they only act on something when a major concern arises. But isn’t it about time that we change that mindset? Let’s not just be critical thinkers and problem solvers. Let’s be systems thinkers as well! Keep reading to know what it means to become a systems thinker and how becoming one will help you attain high performance levels as an independent professional.
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The Importance of Being A 'Systems Thinker' Be a systems thinker... What does that actually mean? Imagine you're working on a complex project. That might be trying to fix a complex model like a particular business framework or building a data backtest. As problems arise, it may be tempting to play the classic game of whack-a-mole, keeping yourself busy by just fixing the immediate issues in front of you. However, more often than not, that creates new problems elsewhere. But being a systems thinker changes the way you approach problems to avoid issues. Systems thinking isn't a new or revolutionary idea. Forms of it were described by the ancient Egyptians and in pre-Socratic Greeks. Don't just think about solving the problem at hand. Think about understanding the entire system and the relationships involved. If you can understand the system, then you are no longer fixing problems when issues arise. You're fixing breakdowns in the system and you're getting to the root cause quicker based on your stronger understanding of how things are structured within the system. The modern term "systems thinking" was coined by Austrian biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy. Bertalanffy focused on "living systems" and how all the components of a cell interact or how all the organs in the digestive system work together. Instead of focusing on just what mitochondria do, he understood it was more important to understand how mitochondria interact with the other organelles. The key is that this is applicable in any other field of work or study. Those who troubleshoot by first learning a system can solve problems quickly. If you want to become a great problem solver and do your job more efficiently, don't just learn that the mitochondria are the cell's powerhouse. Learn how the cell uses that power and why it needs it and views it as one interconnected system. Don't just solve the problem in front of you. Understand the system in front of you. It will make your life easier and it will make you smarter and faster. … and being a systems thinker isn't just something you should do at work. It's something you should do throughout your life, particularly when thinking about your budget or investments. If you constantly find yourself not building enough savings each month, the solution isn't to work harder or just spend a little less. The answer is to sit down, build a real budget, and understand where your money is going and why. If you feel you aren't on track to meet your retirement goals, the solution isn't to shoot for the moon by putting everything into one option for a stock you think will shoot higher. While there are stories of people making it rich by doing this, it is probably a losing strategy. The solution is to sit down and think of your investments as a system of cash into your portfolio, asset allocation, and cash out of your portfolio. Then find a process to make sure you can generate consistent returns. And remember to think of that process as a system too. The more you act as a systems thinker instead of just putting duct tape over your problems, the more you can achieve tangible and consistent results in any part of your life. That applies to your job and your investments. Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Friday’s Everson’s High-P Fridays! The digital world has gradually expanded over the years. Learn more about how you can manage your brand’s online reputation on next week’s Everson’s High-P Fridays! |
