Systems thinking is defined by laws

Systems thinking is the cornerstone of the learning organization and can be summarized in the following laws:^[1]

1. Today’s problems come from yesterday’s “solutions.”
2. The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back. (see: Compensating feedback offsets interventions)
3. Behavior grows better before it grows worse. (see: Low-leverage interventions are alluring because they work in the short term)
4. The easy way out usually leads back in. (see: Non-systemic thinking relies on familiar (but ineffective) solutions)
5. The cure can be worse than the disease. (see: Non-systemic solutions are addictive)
6. Faster is slower. (see: Systems grow best at their optimal rate, not faster)
7. Cause and effect are not closely related in time and space.
8. Small changes can produce big results—but the areas of highest leverage are often the least obvious. (see: Leverage in the right location is more effective than the amount used)
9. You can have your cake and eat it too—but not at once.
10. Dividing an elephant in half does not produce two small elephants. (see: Systems are integrative, cohesive, and indivisible)
11. There is no blame.

#systems-thinking

See also:

• Systems thinking accounts for events, structure, and behavior (over time)