Systems Thinking for Leaders with Andrew Mowat

Conversations
February 5, 2021
Getting to the root of complex and interconnected problems by using a systems lens

A biology teacher turned leadership trainer and expert, Andrew Mowat is fascinated with how our brains work, and is passionate about using neuroscience to help people become better critical thinkers and empathetic communicators.

In his workshop Systems Thinking for Problem Solving, Andrew, who is also the Principal Partner at MetaLearn Education, guides his colearners in getting to the root of complex and interconnected problems by using a systems lens.

Why does systems thinking matter?

Some of the biggest problems facing the world—hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation—are essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others.

Ultimately, the goal of systems thinking is to understand the behavior of a key process. This in turn allows you to figure out how to manage them. When used in the context of business operations and management, systems thinking helps you to make the right business decisions.

Systems thinking is a valuable tool for leaders because:

  1. In systems thinking, failure is embraced and some failures end up teaching lessons that lead to correct decisions.
  2. It develops a love of learning and problem solving; solving complex problems can help you see problems as exciting opportunities.
  3. You’ll gain a “3D perspective” on issues. If you only have a hammer everything looks like a nail, but business managers need to be holistic thinkers to get to the root of a problem.

What you’ll learn in this class

In Andrew’s workshop, colearners will learn how to transition from thinking linearly to untangling complex problems using frameworks of systems thinking.

You’ll gain a greater understanding of:

  • How to apply systems thinking to complex problem solving
  • How businesses have used this type of thinking to solve wickedly difficult problems
  • How to use this methodology to create better, informed decisions

Sign up here to join Andrew’s class on Systems Thinking for Problem Solving, part of a 4-class series in our Solve Complex Problems learning track.

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