forbes.com
Systems Thinking: A New Approach to Collaboration
Thomas Lim, Dean for Centre for Systems Leadership at SIM Academy, argues that collaboration breakdowns stem from misaligned mental models, conflicting incentives, and siloed structures, advocating for systems thinking as a solution.
- What are the primary reasons why collaborative efforts frequently fail, according to the article?
- The article identifies misaligned mental models, conflicting incentives and KPIs, hidden intent, and siloed structures as the main causes of collaboration breakdowns. These issues prevent teams from working towards a shared goal, even when individuals are willing to collaborate.
- How does systems thinking offer a different perspective on diagnosing and addressing collaboration challenges?
- Systems thinking encourages classifying problems using the Cynefin model (simple, complicated, complex, chaotic), emphasizing the importance of understanding feedback loops (reinforcing and balancing) and using tools like the Iceberg Model and Causal Loop Diagrams to visualize and address underlying issues.
- What are the long-term implications of adopting a systems thinking approach to collaboration, and what specific examples illustrate its effectiveness?
- Adopting systems thinking fosters cross-silo integration, aligns diverse stakeholders around shared goals, and enables the creation of self-reinforcing systems that promote collaboration and innovation, as exemplified by a regional IT service provider and a Singapore public-sector agency successfully navigating post-merger integration and built environment transformation, respectively.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames collaboration breakdowns as stemming from deeper systemic issues rather than individual failings, highlighting the limitations of solely focusing on attitudes and team-building. This framing is effective in presenting systems thinking as a necessary solution. However, it might unintentionally downplay the role of individual behaviors and communication in collaboration challenges.
Language Bias
The language used is generally neutral and objective. Terms like "misaligned incentives" and "recurring dysfunction" are descriptive rather than judgmental. There is no evidence of loaded language or emotional appeals.
Bias by Omission
While the article provides a comprehensive overview of systems thinking's application to collaboration, it could benefit from including case studies that highlight failures of systems thinking approaches or instances where the model's limitations are apparent. This would provide a more balanced perspective.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article emphasizes the importance of systems thinking in addressing collaboration breakdowns within organizations. Misaligned incentives and structures often lead to inequality in resource distribution and opportunities, hindering collaboration and overall organizational effectiveness. Systems thinking helps identify and address these root causes of inequality, fostering a more equitable and collaborative environment. The examples of the mobile phone distributor and the Singapore public-sector agency illustrate how systems thinking can improve collaboration and reduce inequalities by aligning diverse stakeholders and optimizing for the whole system rather than individual parts.