Oops! I am a week late publishing this post!

I have a good reason. In the last couple of weeks, something changes in our life as a family. Something big and transformational. All my energy has been fosucing on making it happen.

This also means that, sadly, after this post, I will stop writing this newsletter. I will channel all my content through my Medium Blog, and my website. I do hope that you will stay in touch, either via those two channels, or simply connect on LinkedIn.

Before I move on to this month’s post, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, and offering your thoughts and support. You are amazing!

And now, some gift ideas for the wanna be systems thinker in your life!

Hapy reading, happy festivities, and all the best things!

Houda

Five books for the wannabe systems thinker in your life

At the beginning of 2024, I launched a mini online course as a very simple and practical introduction to thinking in systems. The course was aimed as a gentle entry point into systems thinking, with curious but busy people in mind.

As part of the course, I set up Zoom sessions with participants to explore their interests and guide their next steps.

I asked: Why are you taking this course?

Among the many diverse answers, the most common answer was:

I read Donella Meadows’ Thinking In Systems: A Primer book. I understand the concept of systems thinking but I don’t know how to apply them in my work.

Donella Meadows book is really good and engaging. It is often quoted as an inspiring read, and features very commonly in reading recommendations for systems thinking.

But, in my experience, it is not the best place to start learning about systems thinking. The reason has little to do with the book’s content, and more to do with the effect it has on people.

Let me give you an example.

In September this year, a report was published on the state of the National Health Service in England, referred to as Lord Darzi's report.

The report painted a bleak picture of the healthcare system, and triggered hundreds (may be thousands?) of reactions on social media, with consultants posting their perspectives and commentary on the report’s findings. There was much talk about the need for holistic, systemic approaches to healthcare.

One post caught my attention. It was a video of someone discussing the findings of the report through a ‘systems thinking’ lens. It was a painful watch because while the person used systems thinking language, they clearly didn’t grasp the concepts behind it. They seemed to get tangled up in their own train of thought. At some point, as their argument began to unravel, they pulled out Donella Meadow’s book, and said: Read this book and you will understand what I mean!

It struck me as a common pitfall. I experienced it myself when I first read the book. Thinking In Systems: A Primer creates an instant ‘Aha’ moment. It quickly makes you feel like an expert, too quickly for your own good. In reality, there is SO. MUCH. more to systems thinking than Donella Meadows take on it. In fact, if you’ve only read the book, you are at the very bottom of that steep learning curve, and you will find the practice of systems thinking challenging and overwhelming at the start.

I’ve been there! That’s why I now advocate for a slower, more gradual approach to learning about systems thinking.

Give yourself time to absorb it, to start seeing your world through a different lens, to ask questions, to think and be differently. You will benefit much more this way.

Here are five books I recommend for the wannabe systems thinker in your life. Through this list, I tried to create a journey that takes you from your approach to systems thinking, setting the basic foundations, adopting some new thinking habits, starting with some tools and last, but by no means least, engaging others in systemic work.

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

This is not a book about systems thinking, but contains a lesson that I feel is important to anyone interested in systems thinking.

The Alchemist is a fable about Santiago, a young shepherd from Spain, who dreams of discovering a hidden treasure near the Egyptian pyramids. Inspired by a recurring dream and the advice of a mysterious king, he embarks on an arduous journey in pursuit of the treasure.

Along the way, Santiago faces many challenges, meets mentors, and learns important life lessons. When he finally reaches the pyramids, he digs for the treasure but finds nothing. Instead, he realises that the true treasure was the wisdom, growth, and transformation he experienced on his journey. In a twist to the plot, he also learns that the treasure was buried back home all along, right where he started his journey.

By the end of the story, Santiago is not the same person who left his shepherd’s life behind. His journey has given him wisdom, humility, and a deeper connection to the world around him.

Similarly, systems thinking changes the way you perceive the world. You begin to see systems everywhere—interconnected feedback loops, delayed effects, unintended consequences. The ‘treasure’ isn’t a certificate of expertise in systems thinking, nor is it about finding one "right answer." The real treasure is what you learn, see, and become through your efforts to understand the interconnectedness of systems. It’s in the new mindset that transforms the way you approach work, relationships, and the world.

And just like Santiago, you might find that the insights you sought were there all along, waiting for you to see them with new eyes.

Ideal for: Individuals who are new to systems thinking and seeking a philosophical mindset shift.

Selected quote:

The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon - The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

2. When A Butterfly Sneezes by Linda Booth Sweeney

This book was written as a guidebook for educators and parents, to help them develop and nurture children’s abilities to think in systems. The first part of the book is the best and simplest introduction to systems thinking I have found. Don’t be put off by the references to children’s education, the key principles are there and are just as applicable in a boardroom as they are in a classroom.

Read them, understand them and you will already have a good foundation to start from. You can stop here and move on, or take inspiration from the second part of the book.

The second part of the book illustrates the fundamental principles of systems thinking through a number of children’s stories. It gives a very brief summary of each story line, suggestions for using that story to teach systems thinking concepts, and questions to consider. I found many of the stories hard to source in the UK, so I applied the teaching suggestions to other children’s stories, like Dr Seuss’ The Lorax (for my daughter, and me!), and newspaper stories (for me and my grown-up clients).

Ideal for: beginners or those who want an approachable introduction to core principles.

Selected quote:

We take actions that we think will address fundamental problems, but often they never do, or they actually make the original problem worse. How do we get off this problem-solving treadmill? This is where systems thinking can help - Linda Booth Sweeney

3. The Grammar Of Systems: From Order To Chaos And Back by Patrick Hoverstadt

Now that you have adjusted your expectations and learned the basics, it is time to delve deeper into the principles of systems thinking.

What I love about this book is that it emphasises the ‘thinking’ in systems thinking, and warns against becoming a slave to a particular methodology. The author organised the book in two parts: the first is about the thinking patterns of a systems thinker (How to think like a systems thinker), whereas the second part is about the laws and principles of systems thinking.

I use this book as a reference book, dipping in and out of the various chapters depending on my needs and whims. I never read it from cover to cover, but I have read all the sections in a jumbled order. I also worked my way through the 33 laws/principles of systems thinking listed in part 2, and thought of a real-life example for each of them. This crystallised them in my mind, and I began to see examples of them everywhere.

That is probably one of my best tips for thinking like a systems thinker. If you find your own examples of systems thinking principles, they shift from being someone else’s abstract framework, and become real in your mind. They become your way of seeing the world. It takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. I promise!

Ideal for: those who are ready to dive into more advanced thinking patterns and technical frameworks.

Selected quote:

Emergence is not only all around us. From gang violence to economic prosperity, from climate change to the level of efficiency of a factory, the most important things we experience and that affect our lives are emergent properties. Emergence is not just the point of systems thinking, it is The Point – Patrick Hoverstadt

4. Systems Thinking For Social Change by David Peter Stroh

I discovered this book by chance. At the time, I was focused on developing my frameworks for using systems intelligence as a catalyst for better collaboration among diverse stakeholders. I had spent weeks immersed in books and articles about team work and collaboration, and I needed a break from that topic. I was also in the mood for some systems thinking so I looked up my favourite writers on The Systems Thinker (my systems bible), and one of them was David Peter Stroh.

I started to listen to the book on Audible, and to my surprise and delight, I realised that it perfectly aligned with my research on collaboration.

I now own both a physical and audio copy of the book. I listened to the audio version countless times while running errands and doing the school and nursery run. Every time I listened to it, it triggered a new thought or idea, so I bought the physical copy so that I can annotate it.

Whichever version you choose, you can view this book on multiple levels:

As an introduction to systems thinking: The book illustrates how a ‘soft systems’ methodology can be beautifully complemented by a systems dynamics approach. This is a good reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to systems thinking. The situation/problem at hand should dictate the tools you use to address it, rather than the other way round (i.e. don’t be a slave to the method, you can mix and match depending on what you are working with).

As a collection of case studies in multi-stakeholder collaboration: although the book focuses on work with not-for-profit organisations, the insights it provides could very easily work in a for-profit, competitive corporate environment.

As a toolkit for facilitating systemic collaboration: the author shares frameworks for engaging multiple stakeholders, creating common ground and enabling them to work productively together through the application of systems tools such as systems archetypes.

Ideal for: leaders or facilitators aiming to foster collaboration and systemic change.

Selected quote:

Imagine engaging a group of community stakeholders to address an important social issue – such as ending homelessness,…or improving local public health… Now imagine your first group meeting…How would you address the challenges of different interests and perspectives to build a strong foundation for change? – David Peter Stroh

5. Systems Convening: A Crucial Form Of Leadership For The 21^st Century by Etienne & Beverly Wenger-Trayner

This is an interesting publication on the emerging concept of a systems convener. It’s not written as your typical book, rather a collection of thoughts, quotes and perspectives on what constitutes a systems convener. The book includes short profiles of a diverse group of people that would qualify as systems conveners, followed by an account of the characteristics that make them so.

I don’t know if I can articulate the definition as elegantly as the book, so I’ll borrow a quote from the introduction:

You may not have heard about them; what they do is rarely in the job description. But they are here-working on sustainable change, across challenging silos, in complex social landscapes, amid changing circumstances. We call then systems conveners - Etienne & Beverly Wenger-Trayner

I included this book in my list because I think there is too much emphasis on the tools and methodologies of systems thinking, and not enough on the human element of a systemic approach. If you want to create real systemic change, you need to work with the diverse people across the system. It is often taken for granted that these people will automatically rally together around a shared goal. Sometimes, oftentimes, these people don’t get on, or they are too focused on themselves. It takes effort, and a special type of skill and mindset to bring diverse people together, to translate perspectives, to build common ground and ensure that they engage in productive and sustainable work together.

Systems conveners can catalyse this process by crafting the first call to action,  inviting people to come together and collaborate, by creating the first narrative of what is and what could be.

Ideal for: leaders or facilitators aiming to foster collaboration and systemic change.

Final thoughts

Systems thinking can feel like a daunting field to step into, with its layers of complexity and its potential to overwhelm. While Donella Meadows' Thinking in Systems may seem like the perfect place to start, it can leave you feeling like you have arrived at the summit of expertise, only to discover that you have just started climbing the mountain.

Through the books I’ve recommended, I invite you slow down the learning process, build a solid foundation, and to progress gradually and intentionally.

Whether through Paulo Coelho’s philosophical views on life, Linda Booth Sweeney’s accessible introduction, Patrick Hoverstadt’s focus on thinking patterns, David Stroh’s practical tools and case studies or Wenger-Trayners’ human-centred perspective, each book helps you move one step closer to truly adopting a systems mindset.

This holiday season, consider gifting one (or all) of these books to the curious, busy systems thinker in your life—or better yet, gift it to yourself. Remember: take your time, observe, and enjoy the process.