Strategic and Systems Thinking

Delivered by
Haines Centre Partners

From: Chaos & Complexity
To: Elegant Simplicity

Concepts–Learnings–and Applications
to Accelerate Your Shift
to the “Systems Age”

“Change happens at the speed of thought.”
– Greenpeace

This Booklet Includes:
- Workshop Purposes
- Workshop Benefits
- Workshop Agenda
- Workshop Participant Notebook Table of Contents
- Testimonials
- Related Products
- Workshop Policy (registration and cancellation)
- Workshop Booking Information

"Strategic & Systems Thinking"

From theory → to practice
From complexity → to simplicity
From confusing complexity → to elegant simplicity
From tradition → to innovation
From analytic/reductionistic thinking → to systems thinking
From mechanic → to organic thinking
From parts → to the whole
From tactical → to Strategic Thinking

Purposes:

To provide a brief overview of the history, research and science of General Systems Theory and the leap to the Systems Age in the 21st Century.
To assist participants in beginning to understand and improve their thought processes and knowledge in Strategic Thinking as applied to organizations, teams and individuals.
To discover, examine, and learn the four key concepts of the science of Living Systems as the natural and better way the world works.
To help each participant walk away with a beginning set of practical tools, tips, and techniques to actually use Systems Thinking strategically in their daily work and daily lives.
To plan the next steps and priorities for spreading this new strategic “orientation to life” to the rest of your organization, in a tailored way that creates a Culture of Business Excellence and Superior Results.

Workshop Benefits:

Why Learn Strategic & Systems Thinking?

Key Feature:	It is a more productive language based on a better way to think...to act and to achieve extraordinary results. It is truly a "new orientation to life" once it is internalized.
Key Benefit:	Ordinary People + Extraordinary Thinking = Strategic Thinking = Extraordinary Results...time after time.

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Workshop Agenda:

Strategic & Systems Thinking
- Day 1 -

8:30	Continental Breakfast
8:30	1. Overview—The Science and Age of Systems Thinking - Why Thinking matters - Critical Issues - Cases ready—List them 2. Wants/agenda/logistics
9:30	Break
9:45	3. Strategic Thinking and Scientific-Based Systems - Paradigm shifts sample - Natural Laws - Analytic vs. Systems Thinking vs. Strategic Thinking - Strategic Planning vs. Strategic Thinking on a daily basis - Helicopter and Rubik’s Cube Analogies (Outside-In-Outside)
11:00	Break
11:15	4. Systems Thinking Basics (Concept #2—Standard Systems Dynamics) - Systems Principles/Example - Systems Top 10 questions—Being Strategic/Example
12:00	Lunch
1:00	5. Play “Puzzle Game” (optional) - Two teams - “Structure influences behavior”
2:15	Break
2:30	6. Senge’s ship story: Who is the most important person? - Thomas Kuhn: “Structure” of Scientific Revolution (paradigm shift) - Reality of Life: C-P-S (Iceberg Theory)
3:00	The ABCs of Strategic Management (Concept #3—ABCDE) 7. The whole system (ABCDE) - “New orientation to life” (E-A-B are Strategic Thinking) - Many uses 8. Explain template to the class - Have group do A-B-C-D-E Worksheet case - Debrief Worksheet
4:15	Break
4:25	9. Set up Day II Exercise-12 Natural Laws of Living Systems (Handbook #2) - Use Handbook #2 - 10 Tools—Become a Strategic Thinker - Form 9 teams (1 per tool—less the ABCDE Tool) - Task: read/skim all tools - Select one tool to explain to class using your case
4:40	10. Sum up Strategic and Systems
4:50	11. How did day go?
5:00	End of Day
Homework Reminder	1) Read the Participant Notebook: VI. Organization as a System 2) Read the Handbook# 2 3) On the end of the third day, teach us a new learning in two-four minutes and show how to apply it in your case.

- Day 2 -

8:00	Continental Breakfast
8:30	1. Day #1 Issues - Review Day One learnings
8:45	2. Handbook #2 Exercise - Present each tool to the class
10:00	Break
10:15	3. Review 12 Characteristics of Systems Thinking - Examples
11:15	4. Hierarchy of Living Systems (Concept #1—Seven Levels) - Conceptual input - Define purposes at each level and ‘collisions’ and interfaces of levels with each other
12:00	Lunch
1:00	4. (Continued) - Show examples: - Accountability System - Cascade of Planning - People Edge Practice—Be strategic—Attunement with people - “Centering Your Leadership Model/Skills—Strategic Leadership book - Show/review “OD Cube” to better understand Rubik’s Cube and analytical/piecemeal thinking - Focus on case
2:30	Break
2:45	5. Take self-evaluation on your strategic leadership skills/ use ‘red’ survey - Score yourself; identify top three skills and three most in need of improvement - Share with group, gain group scores overall, process our strengths and weaknesses as a leader
4:00	Break
4:15	6. Take self-evaluation of your Organization's status vs. Best Practices in building a System of Leadership Development Competencies (the Pyramid) - Score your organization; identify top two-three competencies and one-two most in need of improvement - Share with group, tally seminar scores overall, process our strengths and weaknesses in our Leadership Development Competency levels.
4:50	7. Sum up Strategic and Systems Thinking again - Tools—Tips—Techniques 8. How did day go?
5:00	End of Day
Homework Reminder	Take I-ROC instrument using your case

- Day 3 -

7:30	Continental Breakfast
8:00	1. Day #2 Issues - Review Day Two learnings
8:45	2. Historical Cycles of Change and Learning (Concept #4—Rollercoaster) - Develop framework - Develop natural life cycles - Understand the Rollercoaster vs. 20 other Change Theories - Six Phases of Change and need for Plan-to-Implement
9:30	Break
9:45	3. Form six subgroups: Have participants explain the six uses of the Rollercoaster—how it operates at each level of Living Systems
11:00	Break
11:15	4. Present Participant Findings on the Six Levels (five minutes each)
12:00	5. Have them review survey on Rollercoaster for their own case/debrief it 6. Each Person takes two minutes (max) to present their back home case and show how you could apply one of the new Systems Thinking Tools/Learning to help work their issue.
12:30	7. Summary of Strategic and Systems Thinking - go around the room on overheads, use a few key slides again
12:45	8. Evaluation/Graduation 9. Closure
1:00	Lunch—Box lunches available

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Workshop Participant Notebook

Strategic and Systems Thinking
Table of Contents

Welcome—Purpose—Agenda—Introductions—Critical Issues—Terms—Simplicity
I.	Overview—The Science and Age of Systems Thinking
	A.	Why Thinking Matters
	B.	Paradigm Shifts
	C.	Systems - The Natural Order of Life on Earth
II.	Strategic Thinking and Scientific-Based Systems
	A.	Defining Strategic Thinking
	B.	Analysis and Synthesis
	C.	General Systems Theory—Science-Based
III.	Systems Thinking Basics (Concept #2 - Standard Systems Dynamics)
	A.	12 Key Characteristics of General Systems Theory
	B.	Properties of Systems – Be Strategic
	C.	Primary Systems Thinking Questions
IV.	The ABCs of Strategic Management (Concept #3 - ABCDE)
	A.	Strategic-Oriented Organization
	B.	Strategic Thinking Framework: Many Uses
V.	Hierarchy of Living Systems (Concept #1 - Seven Levels)
	A.	Types of Systems
	B.	Seven Levels of Living Systems
	C.	Six Natural Rings of Reality
VI.	The Organization as a System
	A.	Fragmented Organization Mental Models
	B.	The Organization as a System
	C.	Strategic Business Design
VII.	Historical Cycles of Change and Learning (Concept #4 - Rollercoaster)
	A.	Chaos and Complexity: A New Science
	B.	The Rollercoaster of Change and Its Numerous Uses
	C.	Iceberg Theory of Change
VIII.	Summary of Strategic and Systems Thinking
IX.	Plan-To-Plan Process
X.	Bibliography
	Evaluation and Notes

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Workshop Participant Testimonials

Strategic and Systems Thinking

How effective was this seminar in meeting its objectives?
- Regular principles were presented and discussed, reinforced to overall Systems Thinking perspective. Divergent presentations, while of value may have diluted greater richness in understanding key principals.
- I can now understand the tools and the language.
- Very comprehensive and materials went beyond the lecture.
- Handbook # 2 was the best part of this class.
- A complex subject – managed to effectively get across the principles through
  examples, repetition and involvement.
- Very effective. Kept relatively close to the agenda – objectives, and time.
- 10/10 – Covering key points in a variety of ways reinforced learning and
  expanded ideas about application.
- 10/10 – clear module, good presentation, good participation
How effective was the facilitator?
- Knows material, has big picture in mind all the time.
- Warm style, provocative material.
- Wonderful translator and wonderful example.
- Great job of tying in materials. Excellent style and skills and facilitator.
- Input about strategic planning was very helpful
- Brought a different perspective on Innovation.
- Very effective speaker. Great use of visual aides.
- Immersed himself in the information.
- Has a great wealth of knowledge.
- Thanks for staying late and going over strategic planning.
- Well-balanced delivery of activity, visuals, discussion, and lecture. Way to go guys.
- Very knowledgeable on content.
- I enjoyed the variety and the different styles of facilitation.
- Good balances of lecture, examples, do, apply.
- Facilities and food excellent.
- Fun, interactive
- Did good job of addressing the questions, picking up on the issues – good feedback expertise, experience, variety
- 10/10 – Knowledgeable. Good mix of the three. The group benefited from their
  varied experiences
- 10/10 – Openness, was refreshing, all were well prepared with great resource
  materials in backing their points, know them material well, personal, warm
What did you like in the seminar that should be continued?
- Materials are great.
- The hands-on-work is always a plus for me. The handouts and examples will be taken back to the community of managers and used as tools to assist with process improvement.
- Team teaching.
- The structure of his particular seminar is very effective and should change very
  little.
- Gave me a great perspective on how to view organizations and how to structure
  growth and change in a dynamic environment.
- Good use of audience experiences and knowledge base, great interactivity.
- The participative way of doing it.
- Flexibility in hearing “war” stories, flexibility in introducing new tools.
- Small group size, made it personal, and more effective
- Informal, Workshop material, handouts, informal exchange, location, menu
- Interactive learning, strategies where we had to practice
- Relation to real world situations
Any other comments?
- Really noticed the positive modeling re: feedback and learning. Thanks for setting the stage.
- It is very holistic.
- Thought the material, information, discussion was very good, practical,
  applicable, and current. It is information with immediate applications.
- There was a powerful and enriching learning experience on both a personal and professional level.
- Overall, the workshop was outstanding, in helping me gain a broader perspective of the many complex issues I deal with daily in my organization.

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