Systems thinking involves looking at the bigger picture rather than individual parts of a situation, dynamic or problem.

TAKEAWAYS:

• Systems thinking helps us be more compassionate as we think about and deal with conflicts.

• Real, long-term solutions to problems require looking at a much bigger picture than the problem that is immediately in front of us.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE:

Bowen Family Systems Theory
Covers subjects like triangles in families, sibling position, differentiation of self, and emotional cutoff.

• Extraordinary Relationships; A New Way of Thinking about Human Interactions. By Roberta M. Gilbert, MD (based on Bowen Family Systems Theory)

• The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family (organization): explanation of concepts can be found at https://www.thebowencenter.org/introduction-eight-concepts.

Systems in Communities and Political Entities
For an overview of domination vs. partnership systems in communities and political entities, see the groundbreaking work of Riane Eisler, https://rianeeisler.com/ and other work, including: 

• The Power of Partnership: Seven Relationships that Will Change Your Life   

• The Chalice and the Blade 

• The Real Wealth of Nations

Systems in Organizations

• The Fifth Discipline, by Peter M. Senge (the big name in systems thinking for management)

• Two organizations co-founded by Peter Senge: 

  • Center for Systems Awareness, https://systemsawareness.org/. “The Center for Systems Awareness exists to advance this renaissance based on profound inter-connectedness as the integrating idea – that 'self,' 'other,' society and the larger natural world all arise as entwined systems of relationships – and that recovering our sense of connectedness and caring at each level can shape our future.”

  • Society for Organizational Learning, https://www.solonline.org/

Through Riggs Integral Coaching, Susan Riggs works with individuals and teams to help them live and work with depth, purpose, and joy. She is a certified Integral Coach® through New Ventures West, an associate certified coach through the International Coaching Federation, and a certified Myers-Briggs® trainer. She has many years of experience working with community health centers and other nonprofit organizations.

Through Serenity and Health, Donna Chacko shares information, inspiration, and perspective in her monthly blog to help others enhance their physical and mental health and grow closer to God. She practiced medicine for 40 years, first as a radiation oncologist and later, as a family medicine doctor. What she learned from caring for cancer patients, and later immigrants and the homeless in Washington, D.C., continues to influence her message. She is the author of “Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey.”