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An increasingly complex world requires new ways of
thinking. The old solutions simply don't work anymore. If you've heard yourself
and others say things like "The situation seems to be getting worse",
"I feel like I'm butting my head up against a wall", "We seem to
be stuck", or "We're going to hell in a hand basket", it's time
to consider a systems thinking approach to problem-solving.
Systems thinking is a way to see beyond isolated events to
the deeper patterns, connections and root causes that explain many of the
problems that confront us in organizations and communities.
The systems approach to management is a highly effective method for
helping leaders understand the relationships that shape environment in which
their organizations operate. It
provides nonprofit leaders with an fresh understanding of relationships between
our underlying assumptions, the actions we take based on these assumptions and
the consequences of these actions - both intended and unintended.
WORKSHOP TOPICS:
The workshop will provide a practical understanding of
systems thinking principles, approaches and tools in order to integrate and use
them in individual and team work. The session will include a variety of
exercises, worksheets, planning guides and assessment tools for practical
application of the concepts back home as well as a resource bibliography. As a
result of the training program, participants will:
- Learn
how to apply selected systems thinking tools in order to reach a deeper
understanding of management problems and generate solutions more likely to
work.
- Work
through at least one current critical management issue using a systems
approach process to identify possible solutions for action when they return
to their organization
- Become
familiar with other systems thinking resources including training programs,
books, software, and websites.
- Develop
a plan for bringing workshop learning back home to share and apply selected
systems thinking tools with others in some of the common decision-making and
problem solving arenas that nonprofit leaders operate within: staff, board
meetings committee meetings, strategic planning sessions
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
For persons seeking a practical introduction to systems
thinking. The session will be especially useful for executive directors, staff,
and board leaders looking for ways to address persistent problems in new ways.
The follow-up systems approach workshop will build on
the introduction to systems thinking offered in the all day workshop.
The follow-up half-day session will present additional systems thinking
tools and techniques that can help nonprofit leadership address pressing
organizational problems. Special emphasis will be placed on how to develop causal loop
diagrams to understand organizational issues in new ways, leading to solutions
that address root causes. Participants will work in small groups to practice
application of selected tools on their own issues. Additional systems thinking
resources will be offered to support professional development.
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