ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that systems thinking–embracing the complexity of the world, rather than trying to reduce it to simple chains of cause and effect–can transform the ability of activists to bring about the changes they seek, whether in society, politics, or business. It explores the practical implications of learning to ‘dance with the system,’ in terms of the kinds of people we need to be, and the kinds of questions we need to ask, as we seek to change the world. In complex systems, change results from the interplay of many diverse and apparently unrelated factors. Those of us engaged in seeking change need to identify which elements are important and understand how they interact. Change in complex systems occurs in slow, steady processes such as demographic shifts and in sudden, unforeseeable jumps. Thinking in systems should change everything, including the way we look at politics, economics, society, and even ourselves, in new and exciting ways.
