Getting Things Done as a System: Becoming Like Water

"Water is what it is, and does what it does. It can overwhelm, but it’s not overwhelmed. It can be still, but it is not impatient. It can be forced to change course, but it is not frustrated. Get it?" 

– David Allen, Getting Things Done

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INPUTS (Uncontrollable, Constant Flow)

• Emails
• Meetings
• Deadlines
• Crises
• Unexpected events

Step 1: Capture ("Container for Flow")

• Collect all incoming information (notes, inboxes, voice memos, lists)
• Don't resist the incoming current, just catch it

Step 2: Clarify ("Remove Debris")

• Process each captured item: What is it? Is action needed?
• Define next actions, projects, reference material
• Let go of ambiguity (clearing the water)

Step 3: Organize ("Directing Channels")

• Sort clarified items into systems:

• Next actions
• Waiting for
• Projects
• Someday/maybe
• Calendar
• Each item flows into an appropriate channel

Step 4: Reflect ("Monitoring Currents")

• Weekly reviews
• Reconnect with priorities
• Adjust the system as needed

Step 5: Engage ("Act With Flow")

• Work from trusted lists
• Choose actions based on context, time, energy, priority
• Stay present and responsive, like water flowing around obstacles

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Core System Qualities ("Water-Like Mindset")

• Adaptable
• Non-resistant
• Emotionally neutral
• Always moving, never stuck
• Calm even when fast-moving
• Changes form without losing essence

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Mindset Shift

Instead of fighting complexity or feeling overwhelmed:

• Trust the system to hold the complexity.
• Allow your mind to stay clear and present.
• Flow with change instead of resisting it.

"Water is what it is, and does what it does."

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Systems Thinking Layer:

Your mind + GTD system = an adaptive human-technical system operating inside larger dynamic systems (work, family, world events).

• Feedback loops: Regular reviews keep the system calibrated
• Emergence: Complex projects unfold through iterative small actions
• Path dependence: Early clear captures reduce downstream chaos

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Mindfulness Layer:

• Presence without reactivity
• Awareness of flow and obstacles without attachment
• Acceptance of what arises, acting skillfully in response

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David Allen's implicit lesson:

"You cannot control the river. But you can learn to move like water."

Fascism as Systems Failure

 This post is based on this quote from Robert Paxton's Book, The Anatomy of Fascism 

“They expected that inevitable war would allow the master races, united and self-confident, to prevail, while the divided, “mongrelized,” and irresolute peoples would become their handmaidens. Fascism had become conceivable, as we will soon see, because it offered a new way of responding to the anxieties of an age of mass politics, mass mobilization, and acute social tension.” 

– Robert O. Paxton, The Anatomy of Fascism

First, Paxton’s key insight

Let's first look at Paxton's key insight.

Fascism is not simply an ideology. It’s a mobilizing process - it emerges out of systemic breakdowns, unresolved tensions, and the failures of existing institutions to adapt to accelerating social, political, and economic complexity.

In systems language

• Fascism arises when a system’s existing governance structures, narratives, and feedback mechanisms lose their capacity to absorb growing tensions.
• It is a form of path-dependent systemic response to perceived loss of control, identity, or coherence in the face of destabilizing forces.

The system conditions Paxton describes are classic complex adaptive system stressors:

• Rapid social change (modernization, urbanization, mass politics)
• Shifting power dynamics (loss of imperial power, decline of old elites)
• Economic instability (global depression, unemployment, inflation)
• Mass disorientation (loss of cultural anchors, new media environments)

These are nonlinear, interacting stressors - not unlike the kinds of "polycrisis" or "tipping points" we talk about in contemporary systems change.

Fascism as an emergent attractor:

In systems terms, fascism operates as an emergent attractor that offers:

• Simple narratives that resolve complexity into “us vs. them” binaries.
• Restored identity (purity, unity, strength) for disoriented populations.
• Rapid action (often violent or extralegal) that bypasses paralyzed institutions.
• A centralizing control structure that promises to stabilize perceived chaos.

Systems under great stress often seek lower-complexity attractors - simplifications that provide temporary homeostasis. Fascism exploits this dynamic brutally.

What is an emergent attractor?

Why this matters for systems change practice:

• Systems change isn’t always progressive. Change processes can produce regressive attractors when people’s legitimate anxieties are hijacked by actors offering oversimplified solutions.
• Legitimacy vacuums invite dangerous alternatives. When formal institutions fail to evolve fast enough, informal and extra-institutional movements may fill the vacuum.
• Narrative control is central. Fascist movements masterfully reframed systemic grievances into identity-based, zero-sum narratives. This is why systems change practitioners increasingly recognize the importance of collective sense-making and narrative emergence in shifting systems toward more inclusive, adaptive futures.
• Early signals matter. Paxton emphasizes how fascism initially operates “within the system” before fully seizing power - exploiting democratic weaknesses before destroying democracy. Systems change work often focuses on early feedback signals that show whether adaptation is building resilience or breaking down.

Direct link to democratic systems change:

Democratic systems change practitioners today work precisely at the fault lines where fascism historically gained ground:

• Polarization
• Distrust in institutions
• Declining civic capacity for complexity
• Fragmentation of collective identity
• Erosion of common facts

The core challenge is helping societies maintain adaptive capacity in the face of complexity - rather than falling into the low-complexity attractors of authoritarianism.

Put simply

Fascism is what happens when systems fail to manage complexity with adaptive, inclusive, participatory change - and instead shift to autocratic simplifications that promise certainty, purity, and control.

Structure of Causal Loop Diagram: Fascism as Systems Failure

Here is the structure of a basic causal loop diagram representing "Fascism as Systems Failure":

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Fascism as Systems Failure: Causal Loops

Core Feedback Loops

Complexity-Stress Loop (Reinforcing)

• Rapid Social Change (+)
• Institutional Capacity (-)
• Social Disorientation (+)
• Anxiety & Fear (+)
• Demand for Simple Narratives (+)
• Vulnerability to Authoritarian Movements (+)

Explanation: Rapid modernization, economic shifts, and social change outpace institutional adaptation, fueling public anxiety and making simplified explanations appealing.

Legitimacy-Erosion Loop (Reinforcing)

• Institutional Failure (+)
• Public Distrust (+)
• Weakening of Democratic Norms (+)
• Elite Fragmentation (+)
• Openings for Demagogues (+)
• Alternative Power Structures (+)
• Further Institutional Failure (+)

Explanation: As institutions fail to address growing complexity, trust erodes, elites splinter, and non-democratic actors gain influence, further weakening institutional legitimacy.

Identity-Threat Loop (Reinforcing)

• Cultural Mixing / Migration (+)
• Perceived Identity Threat (+)
• Nationalist Identity Narratives (+)
• In-Group Solidarity (+)
• Out-Group Blame (+)
• Political Polarization (+)
• Identity Threat (+)

Explanation: Social diversity and cultural change activate identity-based fears, which are exploited by fascist narratives framing diversity as existential threat.

Order-Restoration Loop (Reinforcing)

• Fear of Chaos (+)
• Desire for Strong Leadership (+)
• Support for Authoritarian Solutions (+)
• Centralized Power (+)
• Suppression of Dissent (+)
• Temporary Stability (+)
• Long-Term System Fragility (+)

Explanation: As fear grows, people support leaders who promise stability through strong central control, but these solutions create brittle systems that suppress adaptive capacity.

Key Insight for Systems Change:

Fascism emerges not as an isolated ideology, but as a systemic attractor in the context of governance failure, complexity mismanagement, narrative control breakdowns, and identity threat amplification. Effective systems change must strengthen adaptive capacity, narrative pluralism, and inclusive governance to prevent these reinforcing loops from locking in.

Systems: Emergent Attractors

In systems thinking, an attractor is a kind of “preferred pattern” that a complex system tends to settle into over time. Imagine dropping a marble onto a landscape of hills and valleys — the marble may roll around for a while, but eventually it will settle into one of the valleys. That valley is like an attractor: once the system is there, it tends to stay there unless something significant knocks it out. The same idea applies to social systems, economies, ecosystems, or political movements — certain patterns of behavior, relationships, and feedback reinforce themselves and become stable over time.

Not all attractors are equally healthy or desirable. Some attractors produce stable democracies, functioning markets, or resilient communities. Others lead to destructive outcomes, like authoritarian regimes, cycles of poverty, or ecological collapse. What makes systems change so challenging is that once a system has settled into a particular attractor, it resists change — small reforms may slide right back into the same old patterns. Moving a system to a new attractor usually requires shifting multiple elements at once: narratives, incentives, power structures, and feedback loops.

The idea of attractors helps us see why complex problems don’t always respond to linear solutions. Instead of asking “what’s the fix?”, systems thinking asks “what keeps pulling the system into this pattern — and how do we reshape the deeper forces so that healthier patterns can emerge and sustain themselves?”

In complex social systems, stability often takes the form of attractors — self-reinforcing patterns of behavior and governance that a society gravitates toward. For example, a functioning democracy may form a stable attractor where feedback loops support participation, accountability, and adaptive governance. However, mounting stresses — such as economic shocks, identity conflicts, or loss of institutional trust — can push the system beyond the stability of its democratic attractor. If key reinforcing loops break down, the system may shift abruptly toward a different stable state, such as authoritarianism or fascism, where feedback loops now reinforce centralized power, exclusion, and rigid control.

The shift between attractors often requires significant disruptions; small reforms may not be enough if the system remains locked into the original basin of attraction. Effective systems change seeks to strengthen the resilience of healthy attractors while identifying early signals of dangerous transitions.

January 11 - Some quotes and some journal articles of interest

Quotes

"The world is easier to navigate if you remember that people are governed by emotions, acting more often out of jealousy, pride, shame, desire, fear, or vanity than dispassionate logic. We act and react because we feel something. To discount this and listen superficially—or not at all—is to operate at a serious disadvantage." (Kate Murphy, You're Not Listening)

Most of your training should be below aerobic threshold. This approach lets you build aerobic volume while minimizing injury risk. (David Roche, When (And Why) to Train Below Aerobic Threshold | Trail Runner Magazine)

"Social revolutions are usually horrible times of great unrest and insecurity, but they are also historical watersheds that reset and potentially revitalize a nation." (Brian Walker, David Salt, Resilience Practice)

"This requires greater prioritization of behavioural and operational research, a discipline that gets scant coverage in academic circles but which encompasses systems analysis and modelling. It also requires greater value to be placed on synthesis as a tool in discovery because of its power to describe system-level behaviour. Often it is the simple solutions applied well that make the difference rather than new technologies." (nature.com, Take the Long View - Nature)

"Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty." (Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection)

"Draw yourself up to your full height and look your audience straight in the eyes, and begin to talk as confidently as if every one of them owed you money. Imagine that they do. Imagine that they have assembled there to beg you for an extension of credit. The psychological effect on you will be beneficial." (Dale Carnegie, The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking)

Systems

"One starting point for identifying where to take action is to look at the chains of causalities and feedback loops to see where potential for action lies. Another is to explicitly locate alternative attractors within the system. These are likely to be points where there are counter-narratives to the dominant narratives – which appear to have some traction even on a very small scale. Participants will also need to look for where the strong energy seems to be in the system – narratives which excite or anger people and so on. The potential for change in a system often exists in the domains where there is a visible emotional response to issues." (Danny Burns and Stuart Worsley, Navigating Complexity in International Development) 

Journal Articles

Bridging the Gap Between Labour Unions and the Management Through Leadership Development Programs?

Merging Worklife Organizational Innovation and Educational Programs- Promoting Continuous Adaptations to the Global Economy

When Successful Action Research is not Legitimized as Scientific Contribution by the Central Sponsors: How can Morten Levin’s Three Pillars of Action Research Support the Arch of Research Collaboration between Large Public Organizations and Universities?

When Co-Generative Learning Met Co-Production and Co-Creation - On How Three Different Concepts Shaped “Samskaping”

The Opposite of Faith Is Not Doubt, the Opposite of Faith Is Certainty

Good Day to You - Happy January 5th, 2025

I’m in a mindset right now where I just want to get organized—to gather people and work collectively around an issue. It sounds ambitious, maybe even lofty, but it feels necessary.

On a different note, I was thinking last night about my love for landscapes and cityscapes—whether it’s mountains, sprawling city skylines, or just the forms they take. Doing something with these, even something as simple as sharing a daily photo of my favorite landscape or cityscape, feels important to me. Maybe it’s time to start a daily post somewhere to capture and share those moments.

Yaoundé, Cameroon: Both City _and_ Mountains!

There’s definitely a connection between my interest in landscapes, the environment, and the idea of getting organized. It feels worthwhile to explore those links further.

Last night—or perhaps it was early this morning while I was waking up—I had an idea about organizing around a specific concern. I even came up with a name for the group. It was perfect—a term used to describe “them.” But now, I’ve completely forgotten what it was! Ha ha! Well, perhaps I will update this post when it occurs to me once again.

Quotes

On today's quotes

Loads of good strong quotes today that resonate with our headlines.

The Illusion of Certainty

Progress rarely unfolds on a smooth, predictable path. Systems, whether social, economic, or environmental, often cling to comfortable narratives, even when they're clearly failing. Recognizing these "uncomfortable truths" – acknowledging systemic biases, admitting past mistakes, or facing the reality of climate change – is the first, often painful, step towards meaningful change.

Certainty, in a world of constant flux, is an illusion. Adaptability, the willingness to learn, adjust, and course-correct, becomes paramount. This requires humility, recognizing the limitations of our knowledge and the potential for unforeseen consequences.

Status, whether social, economic, or political, exerts a powerful influence on our thinking and behavior. It subtly shapes our beliefs, biases, and the risks we're willing to take. Those desperate to maintain or elevate their status, clinging to power and privilege, often pose the greatest danger. Their actions, driven by fear and insecurity, can have devastating consequences for individuals and societies.  

True resilience stems from confronting denial, both individually and collectively. Shared narratives of the future, where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated, can foster a sense of collective responsibility and a shared commitment to overcoming challenges.

Democracy, at its core, demands active participation, critical thinking, and a willingness to engage in thoughtful compromise. It requires courage to challenge the status quo, to question entrenched beliefs, and to work towards solutions that benefit the common good.

Ultimately, progress hinges on our ability to embrace uncertainty, confront uncomfortable truths, and cultivate a culture of adaptability and shared responsibility.

Quotes

"Other research has shown that occupying a superior position also increases implicit bias." (Keith Payne, The Broken Ladder)

"This contrasting principle is known in systems terms as worse-before-better behavior. This means that long-term success often requires short-term investment or sacrifice." (David Peter Stroh, Systems Thinking for Social Change)

"you have to abandon this idea that you can predict and you can control" 

(Scientific Advice Mechanism, Silvio Funtowicz on Post-Normal Science Advice)

"What work means to people often has less to do with what tasks they are actually performing than with how they relate to and compare themselves to other people." (Keith Payne, The Broken Ladder)

"'In plainer terms,' Baumeister and Bushman write, 'it is not so much the people who regard themselves as superior beings who are the most dangerous but, rather, those who have a strong desire to regard themselves as superior beings.… People who are preoccupied with validating a grandiose self-image apparently find criticism highly upsetting and lash out against the source of it.'" (Lulu Miller, Why Fish Don't Exist)

"Democratic policymaking requires debate, demands compromise and involves critical thinking. It entails considering different viewpoints, anticipating the future, and composing thoughtful legislation." (Simon Gottschalk, The Infantilization of Western Culture)

"Information is the main key to breaking a state of denial. Scenario development in which the range of possible futures is examined and spelled out is one good way of engaging stakeholders in the process." (Brian Walker, David Salt, Resilience Practice)

""The most important thing I learned on Tralfamadore was that when a person dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive in the past, so it is very silly for people to cry at his funeral. All moments, past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist." (Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five)

Systemic Health: Reconnecting for Resilience and Belonging

The Story

Today's quotes brought this narrative forward.

Human systems—biological, social, and environmental—are held together by the flow of information and connection. As Donella Meadows highlights, the exchange of information is fundamental to how systems operate and evolve. When these flows are disrupted or misaligned, systems falter, revealing opportunities for intervention and growth.

Consider the connection between diet and health. Research into gut microbiomes, as reported by The New York Times, shows how individual choices, such as eating minimally processed foods, foster beneficial bacteria and support overall health. This small-scale system of inputs and outputs illustrates how seemingly minor adjustments can lead to profound shifts in outcomes, echoing the principles of systems thinking.

On a societal level, fostering resilience requires a similar approach: paying attention to the flows that sustain or undermine the system. As the IIED points out, “development as usual” fails to account for the interwoven risks of climate change. Only by mainstreaming climate resilience into development policies can countries reduce vulnerabilities and create sustainable pathways for growth.

However, these connections are not only practical but also deeply human. Erich Fromm reminds us that people gravitate toward connection—whether through religion, nationalism, or other shared systems of meaning—as a refuge from isolation. This drive to belong can either reinforce existing systems or inspire transformation when people seek more equitable ways to connect and thrive.

This insight resonates strongly in today’s world. An "epidemic" of loneliness is creating a void of connection that leaves individuals vulnerable to ideologies offering a sense of belonging, even when these ideologies reinforce harmful systems. As democratic backsliding and the rise of authoritarian leaders become more common, it becomes clear that isolation—both social and systemic—can foster a susceptibility to control. Authoritarianism often provides the illusion of unity and purpose, exploiting the human need for connection that Fromm describes.

In this context, strengthening systems of genuine connection—through equitable policies, resilient communities, and inclusive narratives—becomes not only a goal of governance but a bulwark against the isolation that fuels instability. By recognizing and addressing these vulnerabilities, we can rebuild systems that prioritize collective well-being over division, ensuring that the human need for connection fosters resilience rather than repression.

What can you do? 

Start by reconnecting with the people and organizations around you. Just as small dietary changes, like eating minimally processed foods, can improve your gut health, small social actions—joining local community groups, volunteering with grassroots organizations, or simply reaching out to neighbors—can improve the health of your social ecosystem. Building and nurturing these connections not only strengthens your personal sense of belonging but also contributes to a more resilient and inclusive society. These small steps ripple outward, helping to counter the forces of isolation and fostering systems of trust, collaboration, and shared purpose.

Quotes

"Many of the interconnections in systems operate through the flow of information. Information holds systems together and plays a great role in determining how they operate."
(Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems)

"People who tended to eat minimally processed foods like vegetables, nuts, eggs and seafood were more likely to harbor beneficial gut bacteria."
(nytimes.com, How the Right Foods May Lead to a Healthier Gut, and Better Health)

"The most valuable lesson I’ve learned as a journalist is that everybody is interesting if you ask the right questions. If someone is dull or uninteresting, it’s on you."
(Kate Murphy, You're Not Listening)

"Meanwhile, there is growing consensus that ‘development as usual’ isn’t working: unless climate resilience is mainstreamed into development programmes and policies, countries risk increasing their vulnerability to climate change."
(iied.org, Framework Guides Local Governments Towards People-Led Climate-Resilient Development)

"Instead, for subordinates, the rejection of their society’s ideologies of subordination and even of the whole society may be necessary in order to facilitate positive group identity."
(Jim Sidanius and Felicia Pratto, Social Dominance)

"Religion and nationalism, as well as any custom and any belief however absurd and degrading, if it only connects the individual with others, are refuges from what man most dreads: isolation."
(Erich Fromm, Escape From Freedom)

Quotes – December 29

 Let's see. Spend time writing about these quotes, or go for a run and a hike.

No competition.

Quotes

"One thing you may have noticed in the goals, is that they are more focused on routine and habits, than they are on outcomes." (cultivatedmanagement.com, Are You Chasing the Right Things? How to Paint a Picture for Your Life and Set Goals - Cultivated Management)

"foreign aid, even if given for purely humanitarian reasons, is political by nature precisely because it is not motivated by the search for profit." (Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism)

"(3) Human social systems are subject to the counterbalancing influences of hierarchy-enhancing (HE) forces, producing and maintaining ever higher levels of group-based social inequality, and hierarchy-attenuating (HA) forces, producing greater levels of group-based social equality." (Jim Sidanius and Felicia Pratto, Social Dominance)

"It is following these periods of crisis that institutions and the connections between them are most open to dramatic transformation." (Brian Walker PhD, Resilience Thinking)

"Her story — that of an uneducated, unskilled woman from farm roots who can’t find high-paying work in the city and falls deeper into poverty — is a familiar one, the classic pattern of in-country migration all around the world." (Abrahm Lustgarten, The Great Climate Migration Has Begun)

"There is a saying that the world is divided into people who think they are right." (Tara Brach, Radical Acceptance)

Systems Quotes

"One new area of investigation, for example, is how to understand and deal with multiple thresholds that occur at different scales in the ecological and social domains of linked systems, and which give rise to cascading regime shifts." (Brian Walker PhD, Resilience Thinking)

"The speed and magnitude of directional change, environmental and social, are now such that what is needed is continual transformational change in human-dominated systems." (Brian Walker, David Salt, Resilience Practice)

"In this sense, systems thinking is a disciplined approach for examining problems more completely and accurately before acting. It allows us to ask better questions before jumping to conclusions.

Systems thinking often involves moving from observing events or data, to identifying patterns of behavior overtime, to surfacing the underlying structures that drive those events and patterns. By understanding and changing structures that are not serving us well (including our mental models and perceptions), we can expand the choices available to us and create more satisfying, long-term solutions to chronic problems." (thesystemsthinker.com, Systems Thinking: What, Why, When, Where, and How? - The Systems Thinker)

Power and the Role of Individuals in Navigating, Perpetuating, or Resisting Systemic Forces

The Power of the Individual in Systemic Forces

Societies are shaped by systems of power that influence how we think, act, and respond to challenges. Whether in governance, communication, or resilience, understanding the interplay between systemic forces and individual actions is essential. The insights from today’s quotes (see quotes below) provide a lens through which we can explore this dynamic.

Fascism and the Subtlety of Complicity

Robert O. Paxton, in The Anatomy of Fascism, emphasizes the importance of digging down to the level of ordinary people to understand how fascist regimes operate. “To understand fully how fascist regimes worked, we must dig down to the level of ordinary people and examine the banal choices they made in their daily routines.” These “banal choices” often seem insignificant—accepting a lesser evil, averting one’s gaze—but cumulatively, they enable monstrous outcomes.

This observation underscores a central truth: systemic forces thrive on the inertia of everyday actions. Fascist regimes, for example, depend on the demonization of an enemy to mobilize followers. Paxton writes, “Fascists need a demonized enemy against which to mobilize followers, but of course the enemy does not have to be Jewish. Each culture specifies the national enemy.” Recognizing this dynamic challenges us to question the narratives we unconsciously accept and the choices we make in response.

Communication and the Power of Concreteness

In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath remind us of the importance of concrete language: “Concrete language helps people, especially novices, understand new concepts. Abstraction is the luxury of the expert.” This insight is critical when resisting systemic forces, as clarity can break through the fog of misinformation and propaganda that often sustains oppressive systems.

Concreteness is not just a teaching tool—it is a strategy of empowerment. When individuals are equipped with clear, actionable knowledge, they are better positioned to navigate and resist systemic pressures. Abstraction may serve experts, but for systems to change, ideas must resonate with those most affected by them.

Listening as Resistance

In a world that often prioritizes self-promotion, Kate Murphy’s reflection in You're Not Listening feels like a call to action: “In a culture infused with existential angst and aggressive personal marketing, to be silent is to fall behind.” Yet, listening can be a radical act. It shifts the focus from advancing one's agenda to understanding others’ realities.

Listening deeply—to voices marginalized by systemic forces, to ideas challenging the status quo—is a form of resistance. It is a way to question who holds power and to amplify perspectives that might otherwise be ignored.

Systems Thinking and the Critical Role of Transitions

Systems thinkers like Brian Walker and Bob Williams highlight the importance of examining moments of transition within systems. While Walker focuses on the 'back loop' periods—those brief, chaotic moments ripe for change—Williams brings attention to the role of power and decision-making within these transitions, particularly in determining what is prioritized or neglected within a system. Walker writes about the “back loop” periods—brief, chaotic moments where systems are ripe for change. “Almost no research has been done on systems in their brief, chaotic, but critically important back loop periods,” he notes in Resilience Practice.

Brian Walker and David Salt, in their exploration of resilience and systems thinking, delve into the intricate dynamics of change within linked ecological and social systems. They observe, “One new area of investigation, for example, is how to understand and deal with multiple thresholds that occur at different scales in the ecological and social domains of linked systems, and which give rise to cascading regime shifts.” These cascading shifts often emerge during transitional moments, providing individuals with unique opportunities to shape systemic outcomes. By identifying and understanding thresholds—those pivotal points where small actions can trigger significant changes—we can better navigate these critical periods and drive meaningful change.

The Question of Power

Finally, the issue of power is central to systems thinking. Williams and Hummelbrunner write in Systems Concepts in Action, “Systems thinkers began to question who makes those decisions of what is ‘in’ and what is ‘out’; the systems field formally started to address the issue of power.” Power shapes the boundaries of systems, determining which voices are heard and which are silenced.

As individuals, we must recognize where we hold power and where we can challenge its misuse. Whether through rejecting harmful narratives, using clear and concrete communication, or seizing moments of systemic transition, our actions matter.

The Cumulative Power of Individual Actions

Power operates at multiple levels—in regimes, systems, and individual choices. By understanding how systemic forces work and where individuals fit within them, we can navigate, perpetuate, or resist these forces more effectively. The challenge lies in recognizing the role we play in shaping outcomes, whether through what we accept, what we question, or what we choose to change. Even the most entrenched systems rely on the cumulative actions of individuals, and therein lies the potential for transformation. What one step will you take, no matter how small, to resist?

Quotes

"Fascists need a demonized enemy against which to mobilize followers, but of course the enemy does not have to be Jewish. Each culture specifies the national enemy."
(Robert O. Paxton, The Anatomy of Fascism)

"Concrete language helps people, especially novices, understand new concepts. Abstraction is the luxury of the expert. If you’ve got to teach an idea to a room full of people, and you aren’t certain what they know, concreteness is the only safe language."
(Chip Heath, Dan Heath, Made to Stick)

"To understand fully how fascist regimes worked, we must dig down to the level of ordinary people and examine the banal choices they made in their daily routines. Making such choices meant accepting an apparent lesser evil or averting the eyes from some excesses that seemed not too damaging in the short term, even acceptable piecemeal, but which cumulatively added up to monstrous end results."
(Robert O. Paxton, The Anatomy of Fascism)

"In a culture infused with existential angst and aggressive personal marketing, to be silent is to fall behind. To listen is to miss an opportunity to advance your brand and make your mark."
(Kate Murphy, You're Not Listening)

"Almost no research has been done on systems in their brief, chaotic, but critically important back loop periods."
(Brian Walker, David Salt, Resilience Practice)

"One new area of investigation, for example, is how to understand and deal with multiple thresholds that occur at different scales in the ecological and social domains of linked systems, and which give rise to cascading regime shifts."
(Brian Walker PhD, Resilience Thinking)

"systems thinkers began to question who makes those decisions of what is “in” and what is “out”; the systems field formally started to address the issue of power."
(Bob Williams, Richard Hummelbrunner, Systems Concepts in Action)

"In terms of the adaptive cycle (see chapter 4), this is classic K phase behavior in which we are increasingly locked into being more efficient with fewer strategies."
(Brian Walker PhD, Resilience Thinking)

Seeing the Mountain, Mapping the Path: Reflections on Systems, Selves, and Belonging

In the rush of daily life, it’s easy to fixate on immediate details and lose sight of the larger forces shaping our journey. Yet, as Dan Harris reminds us, the emotions we feel—anger, jealousy, fear—are not who we are. They’re passing states, signals to notice but not cling to. Daniel Levitin builds on this idea, highlighting the need to toggle between the work at hand and the broader vision we hold, much like a driver watching both the road and the distant mountain to stay on course.

This balance between the granular and the expansive echoes in other domains. Systems thinking teaches us that clarity begins with seeing the whole picture: the components, their relationships, and the invisible assumptions that shape them. Donella Meadows calls these paradigmatic assumptions the deepest leverage points for change—embedded ideas so pervasive they often go unnoticed, yet profoundly influence how we live and interact with the world.

But systems are not just abstract constructs; they are also deeply personal. Our longing to belong, as Brené Brown points out, can either ground us in authentic connection or drive us into hollow patterns of approval-seeking. This same tension applies to our relationships with others. Freddie deBoer reminds us that human connection is one of life’s greatest glories, but it requires discernment—not every connection will nurture us.

These reflections converge on a simple but powerful truth: to navigate both personal and systemic challenges, we need the courage to pause, the perspective to map our course, and the wisdom to question what we take for granted. Only then can we see clearly—not just the mountain in the distance, but the path that leads us there.

"The final step—“non-identification”—meant seeing that just because I was feeling angry or jealous or fearful, that did not render me a permanently angry or jealous person. These were just passing states of mind." (Dan Harris, 10% Happier)

"In many tasks, whether creative or mundane, we often need to shift back and forth between working and evaluating, comparing the ideal image in our minds with the actual work in front of us." (Daniel J. Levitin, The Organized Mind)

This idea can also be expressed as the need to step back from the details and focus on the bigger picture. If we remain too caught up in the details, we risk drifting away from our ultimate goal. As mentioned in this morning's Dhammatalk: when driving toward a mountain, you spend most of your time watching the road ahead, but you also keep track of the mountain to ensure you stay on course toward your destination.

"The Water Resilience Assessment Framework consists of four key steps: visualizing the system; developing a resilience strategy; testing the resilience strategy; and evaluating." (Home, Water Resilience Assessment Framework — Alliance for Global Water Adaptation)

The first step, visualizing the system, may sound straightforward or even casual, but it actually involves a significant amount of effort. It is valuable and essential work—but still, work. There are many ways to visualize a system, but one of the most effective methods is through a simple relationship map. This map identifies the components of the system and clarifies their relationships using drawn lines and minimal text. While these maps can become quite complex—evolving into causal loop diagrams or stock-and-flow models—keeping them simple has its own benefits. Simpler maps serve as valuable tools for pausing and reflecting. They help you stay oriented and focused on your "mountain," the ultimate destination you are striving toward.

Donella Meadows refers to "paradigmatic assumptions"—or mindsets—as the most powerful leverage points for systemic change. However, these assumptions are also the most difficult to recognize because they are deeply embedded in our core operating frameworks, almost like our mental "firmware."

For example: Money measures something real and has real meaning (therefore, people who are paid less are literally worth less). Growth is good. Nature is a stock of resources to be converted for human purposes. Evolution stopped with the emergence of Homo sapiens. One can “own” land. These are just a few of the paradigmatic assumptions prevalent in our current culture. Interestingly, many of these ideas have left other cultures utterly baffled, as they did not find such assumptions to be obvious in the slightest. (donellameadows.org, Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System)

"The truth is that while the glory of human life is found in other people, you must actively seek them out, discovering shared values and compatible beliefs." (Freddie deBoer, There Is No Such Thing as an Identity)

This is true—the potential for this glory exists in all people, and much of it comes from resonance, the deep connection we feel with others. However, some people can be like hungry ghosts: endlessly searching, consuming, and taking more than they can give. Therefore, it’s important to not only find resonance but also to recognize and avoid those who drain rather than nurture that connection.

And Brené Brown provides insight into what might underlie some of the behaviors of hungry ghosts—the almost insatiable desire to "belong."

"Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance." (Brené Brown, Braving the Wilderness)

This deep longing to belong can sometimes drive people into patterns of endless searching and consuming, where they seek external validation rather than cultivating a grounded sense of self. In this way, the hungry ghost's endless hunger may stem from a lack of true self-acceptance—a barrier to authentic belonging.

Quotes for December 22, 2024

Today's Quotes

Ben Ramalingam, Aid on the Edge of Chaos

"simplicity is repeatedly, consistently, and damagingly chosen over relevance and appropriateness." (Ben

Ramalingam, Aid on the Edge of Chaos)

Ben Ramalingam's quote highlights a critical flaw in decision-making, where the allure of simplicity often overrides the necessity for context-specific and nuanced solutions—especially relevant in addressing the complexity of global aid and development challenges.

Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems

"The behavior of a system cannot be known just by knowing the elements of which the system is made." (Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems)

Donella H. Meadows reminds us of the emergent nature of systems, where the whole transcends the sum of its parts. This perspective urges us to look beyond components to understand relationships and dynamics.

Tara Brach, Radical Acceptance

"For so many of us, feelings of deficiency are right around the corner. It doesn’t take much—just hearing of someone else’s accomplishments, being criticized, getting into an argument, making a mistake at work—to make us feel that we are not okay." (Tara Brach, Radical Acceptance)

Tara Brach captures a universal human struggle—our vulnerability to feelings of inadequacy. Her insight encourages self-compassion and awareness of how external stimuli can shape our self-perception.

Robin Leichenko and Karen O'Brien, Environmental Change and Globalization

"recent economic research shows that "ceteris paribus, the more egalitarian a society, the better its growth record and growth potential" (Sanchez 2003," (Robin Leichenko and Karen O'Brien, Environmental Change and Globalization)

Robin Leichenko and Karen O'Brien provide a powerful argument for equity, reinforcing that societal structures fostering egalitarianism are not just moral imperatives but also drivers of sustainable economic growth.

Chip Heath, Dan Heath, Made to Stick

"This is the Curse of Knowledge. Once we know something, we find it hard to imagine what it was like not to know it. Our knowledge has “cursed” us. And it becomes difficult for us to share our knowledge with others, because we can’t readily re-create our listeners’ state of mind." (Chip Heath, Dan Heath, Made to Stick)

Chip and Dan Heath underline the "Curse of Knowledge," a cognitive bias that complicates communication. Recognizing this bias is essential for effective teaching, leadership, and collaboration.

Dancing with Systems: Navigating Complexity for Transformative Change

These systems quotes collectively emphasize the importance of understanding systemic behavior (e.g., delays, nested dynamics, resistance), embracing ambiguity, and fostering iterative learning. They advocate for a perspective that balances analysis with action, recognizing that transformative change requires navigating complexity with vision, adaptability, and respect for the interconnected nature of systems. 

Photo by Alina Grubnyak 

Systems Quotes

"Delays are pervasive in systems, and they are strong determinants of behavior. Changing the length of a delay may (or may not, depending on the type of delay and the relative lengths of other delays) make a large change in the behavior of a system."
–Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems

"Such challenges are often inhibited by individual and organizational ‘defensive routines’, firmly entrenched in minds, setting cognitive and social limits on learning."
–Ben Ramalingam, Aid on the Edge of Chaos

"Defensive routines" is an important concept when it comes to understanding how learning can be inhibited, both individually and organizationally. These routines, as Ben Ramalingam describes in Aid on the Edge of Chaos, are deeply ingrained patterns of thinking and behavior that create cognitive and social barriers to learning.

This idea also reminds me of something I recently came across about organizations exhibiting an "immune response" to resist change efforts. It seems closely related, as both highlight the instinctive resistance to disruption or transformation within systems.

"to date there is a lack of studies that bridge the divide between small case-based interventions and global systems at broader scales, and the complex interactions across scales and processes. This paper works with a leverage points framework to consider systems transformation. It focuses on four individual sustainability interventions in the textile sector and explores how they are embedded within a complex set of nested systems, and how these connected systems shape the transformative potential of the interventions."
–link.springer.com, Processes of Sustainability Transformation Across Systems Scales: Leveraging Systemic Change in the Textile Sector - Sustainability Science

"Understanding processes of systems change therefore requires us to ‘dance with systems’ (Meadows 2001), meaning to learn from and engage with systems through dynamic, rather than static, perspectives, with passion and vision, to understand their functions or purposes and connections, and see how our values and the system properties may interact (Meadows 2011; Constable et al. 2019)."
–link.springer.com, Processes of Sustainability Transformation Across Systems Scales: Leveraging Systemic Change in the Textile Sector - Sustainability Science

The Landscape Approach to Global Health

The relationship between personal health, community health, and landscape health can be understood as an interconnected system, where each component influences and is influenced by the others. From a climate perspective, this connection is especially significant, as environmental changes—such as shifts in temperature, precipitation patterns, or biodiversity—create cascading effects that impact health at multiple levels.

For example, changes in the landscape, such as deforestation or urbanization, can directly degrade air and water quality, leading to increased respiratory illnesses, waterborne diseases, and heat-related conditions. Conversely, the resilience of the landscape—its ability to sustain diverse ecosystems and provide critical services—helps buffer communities from health risks associated with climate extremes, such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves.

Examining these linkages through a climate lens opens the door to innovative approaches to health and environmental stewardship. For instance, restorative practices like reforestation, wetland conservation, and regenerative agriculture offer co-benefits for both the environment and communities. These practices can improve food security, reduce exposure to pollutants, and enhance mental health by providing greater access to green spaces.

The concept of biophilia—our innate connection to nature—further highlights the importance of healthy landscapes. Biodiverse and aesthetically rich environments have been shown to reduce stress, enhance cognitive function, and foster social cohesion. This reinforces the mental and emotional benefits of living in harmony with nature.

Additionally, climate change alters disease dynamics, creating new challenges for public health. For example, shifting ecosystems may provide habitats for disease vectors like mosquitoes, enabling the spread of illnesses such as malaria or dengue fever to regions previously unaffected. This demonstrates the need to integrate climate resilience into public health strategies to mitigate such risks.

Ultimately, the interplay between personal, community, and landscape health forms a dynamic and complex system. Adopting a holistic, climate-informed approach allows us to address the interdependencies between environmental health and human well-being. By doing so, we can create solutions that are more sustainable, equitable, and impactful across scales.

Article

Health and landscape approaches: A comparative review of integrated approaches to health and landscape management

This article explores the relationship between health and the landscape approach, a form of systems thinking. It focuses on three distinct applications of the systems approach, each grounded in unique ontological foundations.

Link to article

Description:

Landscape approaches focus on managing specific areas by bringing together ideas from different fields to create sustainable solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on how people live, move, and interact with the environment, highlighting the need for health approaches that connect humans and nature. This has led to an increased focus on integrated health approaches in policy discussions.

Approaches like One Health, Ecohealth, and Planetary Health are all types of landscape approaches because they address the connections between health, the environment, and society. This study reviews these health-oriented approaches to understand their shared ideas and unique differences. It looks at their history, how they’ve developed, and their approaches to solving health and environmental challenges.

The study finds that all these approaches share key features, such as systems thinking, working across disciplines, and promoting collaboration across different fields. However, they differ in the specific problems they address, the areas they focus on, and the ontological roots (the underlying mindset) guiding their research. By examining these approaches together, the study suggests ways to strengthen landscape approaches by using health-focused methods to better understand the connections between health and landscapes.

Quotes for the Day - December 9th 2024

 Today was a rich day for quotes. Almost all of the ones in my Readwise feed resonated with me.

"Most people tend to think in terms of dichotomies: strong or weak, hardball or softball, win or lose. But that kind of thinking is fundamentally flawed. It’s based on power and position rather than on principle."
–Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

"Collective ways of working such as collaboration and genuine partnerships are key aspects of climate integration and can support different stakeholders to enable climate integration across development programs."
–weadapt.org, Climate Risk Integration: A New Era for Aid and Development Programming - weADAPT

"You are the detective, always asking, “Why is this person telling me this?” understanding that speakers sometimes may not know the answer themselves. Good listeners help speakers figure that out by asking questions and encouraging elaboration."
–Kate Murphy, You're Not Listening

"Resilience thinking is the capacity to envisage your system as a self-organizing system with thresholds, linked domains, and cycles. Resilience practice is the capacity to work with the system in order to apply resilience thinking, to manage its resilience."
–Brian Walker, David Salt, Resilience Practice

"Not causing harm requires staying awake. Part of being awake is slowing down enough to notice what we say and do. The more we witness our emotional chain reactions and understand how they work, the easier it is to refrain. It becomes a way of life to stay awake, slow down, and notice."
–Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart

"Being open with your insecurities paradoxically makes you more confident and charismatic around others. The pain of honest confrontation is what generates the greatest trust and respect in your relationships. Suffering through your fears and anxieties is what allows you to build courage and perseverance."
–Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Quotes for December 8 - 2024

 Good morning all - I hope you are finding this Sunday morning a good one where you find yourself.

Here is a subset of the quote that showed in my Readwise feed this morning.

Quotes for today, Sunday (not Sundae), December 8th

"For most of the history of Western political thought, writers focused on demagoguery only in the context of arguing that democracy was a poor form of government. Aristocratic critics such as Thucydides and Plato blamed popular leaders for dismissing experts, exploiting the poor and soaking the rich, sparking factional violence, and starting foreign wars to distract the populace from their tyrannical tendencies."
–nytimes.com, Opinion | How to Protect America From the Next Donald Trump

"For me, if you’re not in the arena getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback."
–Brené  Brown, Rising Strong

"If the upside of strongman rule is the ability to make difficult decisions quickly, the downside is that it greatly raises the odds of making costly blunders. The consensus-based decision-making of the earlier era might have been slow and inefficient, but it prevented radical or risky ideas from becoming policy."
–foreignaffairs.com, China’s Coming Upheaval

Systems Quotes

"A system is more than the sum of its parts. It may exhibit adaptive, dynamic, goal-seeking, self-preserving, and sometimes evolutionary behavior."
–Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems

"A shadow network is not active all the time and so does not have maintenance costs, but it can be quickly brought into play without the normal period of trust building required for a network to operate."
–Brian Walker, David Salt, Resilience Practice

"An analysis of global governance in Science (Walker et al. 2009) found that the global institutions that do exist tend to address the concerns they were set up to deal with largely in a silo fashion."
–Brian Walker, David Salt, Resilience Practice

Seventh of 12, Twenty Twenty-Four - Quotes

Quotes for the Day

 

"You’re not a lump of clay, but you’re not a god either."
–Matthew Hutson, The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking

"Snowden argues for local engagement in multiple parallel safe-to-fail actions. These actions are generated from narratives gathered using a technique known as distributed ethnography, which reveals the potential that is in the system."
–Danny Burns and Stuart Worsley, Navigating Complexity in International Development

"personal company is the most important factor for long-term satisfaction."
–weforum.org, A Neuroscientist Who Studies Decision-Making Reveals the Most Important Choice You Can Make

Systems Quotes

"We highlight inclusive interventions such as education and capacity building, development of alliances and partnerships, and enabling sustainable livelihoods, or governance arrangements led by Indigenous peoples and local communities or private actors, as levers to promote positive transformations in the social-ecological systems of protected areas."
–Miguel A. Cebrián-Piqueras and Miguel A. Cebrián-Piqueras, Ecology & Society: Leverage Points and Levers of Inclusive Conservation in Protected Areas

"We began with some boundaries: in order to be successful for water utilities, we needed to focus on systems (ecological, infrastructure, social); we needed to understand how these systems might be experiencing change; and we needed to measure resilience."
–Home, Water Utilities: Moving From Risk to Resilience — Alliance for Global Water Adaptation

"Promoting the involvement of local people and supporting adaptive learning are two important aspects of managing the resilience of social-ecological systems."
–Brian Walker PhD, Resilience Thinking

Quotes for December 6

Good morning, everyone - or good "time of day" to you since I have no idea what time of day it is for you. 

Later this morning I plan to go for a run - but until that time I will post a quote here for you. (Not a very interesting story, I know; too short, and the plot is, well, pointless)

These are quotes on my Readwise feed that resonated with me this morning.

Today's Quotes

"Remarkably unchanged, mycelium has persisted for more than half of the four billion years of life’s history, through countless cataclysms and catastrophic global transformations."
–Merlin Sheldrake, Entangled Life

"Because of the complex interdependencies, efforts to solve one aspect of a problem may reveal or create other problems."
–Sustainable Communities, Ecosystem Services and Human Well‐being

"In Frederick Douglass’ 1869 speech “The Composite Nation,” he defends Chinese immigrants and says that he believes we're going to become a multiracial, multiethnic democracy one day. For a former slave to be saying that is what makes America unique, and is equally part of America's story."
–Anand Giridharadas, Ro Khanna Wants Progressives to Embrace Patriotism, Aspiration, and Experimentation

HBR's Management Tip of the Day

And while I am here I will add a bonus from Harvard Business Review, their Tip of the Day.

Today’s Tip

Use Notes to Calm Your Public-Speaking Nerves

Speaking on a stage can feel daunting—the elevated platform, unfamiliar setting, and all eyes on you can make your mind go blank. If you’re a nervous public speaker, don’t overlook the power of good notes. They can make a big difference in your delivery, especially if it’s your first time on a stage. 

Before you start your presentation, set your notes on a lectern or a small table on the stage. If your mind goes blank or you lose your place, start walking toward your notes as you’re speaking. This purposeful movement looks natural and ensures you’re in position to glance down and find your place without disrupting your flow.

Having a water bottle on stage is also useful. When stuck, take a sip while nodding thoughtfully, glance at your notes, and then continue. This brief pause feels natural and helps you reset without drawing attention to your lapse. If you find yourself stuck and unable to look down at your notes, acknowledge the pause with humble humor. Try saying something like, “I had the most brilliant point, and it just escaped me!” Or you can pause for questions: “Let me stop here and see what questions you have, then I’ll summarize what we’ve covered so far.” Confidence and authenticity will keep your audience engaged.

This tip is adapted from “Nervous About Public Speaking? Here’s How to Use Notes Like a Pro.” by Allison Shapira.