Suppose your goal is to boil an egg within 15 minutes. I would assume you would have to put that egg in some water, and that water would be in a pot. I also assume you will need to switch on a stove to boil that egg to perfection.
This goal may be very simple, but in truth, it is highly dependent on many factors.
For instance, suppose there is loadshedding and you have no electricity to switch the stove on.
Suppose you unknowingly set the stove at a temperature that is too low or if you used ice-cold water to start with, then you will require more time. Or if you only have one very large pot in the kitchen, or if your stove plate doesn’t work well. The permutations are endless.
But the point is, a very simple task can become complex if there are complications in other seemingly unrelated areas.
This comprehensive way of looking at things from a holistic perspective by understanding the interconnected relationships between different variables is called systems thinking.
All strategists must be able to think in terms of systems, it should be a standard way of thought when thinking of strategy and planning.
In this simple analogy, there are several factors (some internal and some external) that have a material effect on this basic goal.
The same applies in all other areas, we often plan for something without taking into consideration all other factors in the broader system.
It is beneficial for you to recognise, respect and manage these systems where possible. In any system or organisation, everything is interconnected and related in some way or another.
The systems thinker uses this mindset to untangle and manage things that would seemingly seem complex.
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