In order for an organization to create positive, sustainable change, it must operate with a

framework that revolves around systems thinking. Edward Demming asserts that systems, not
individuals, are responsible for 95% of behaviors. Operating with this knowledge, leaders must
make a priority of improving flawed systems in order to drive change within their organization.
Leaders should strive to create a blueprint for their organization that focuses on big picture
thinking, creates a shared vision, and addresses root causes to problems. Organizations that
adopt these skills will be well positioned to succeed in the future because they will be primed to
adapt to changes and acquire new skills rather than being rooted in one way of doing something.
These organizations will truly epitomize what it means to be a learning organization.
Systems thinking centers on cause-and-effect relationships that make up the whole
picture rather than specific snapshots at any given moment in time. This requires leaders to look
for patterns and trends rather than the outcomes of particular events. As a result, relationships in
systems thinking are viewed as circular rather than linear. One challenge in viewing these
relationships is the delay between the cause and the ensuing effect. This was evident through our
fishing activity in class. Rather than looking at the trends and the big picture impact of over
fishing, most groups looked at the snap shot of information that was provided at the end of each
round. These results masked the gradually emerging problem of over fishing because the results
werent instantaneous. Groups continued to ignore the delay in the feedback between over
fishing and the declining fish population until the population was completely decimated and all
groups experienced a rapid decline in assets. This failure to address the delay in cause and effect
relationships is also evident when looking at attempts to bridge the achievement gap for students
living in poverty. Often educators look for quick fixes that will provide immediate results and
get frustrated when they dont experience these desired outcomes. However, they rarely take

into account the dynamic complexity of poverty and the impacts of experiences that trace as far
back as pregnancy. In order to bridge the achievement gap, it is essential to view poverty as a
systemic issue rather than looking at isolated problems. Relevant, sustainable change will only
come when we address each part of the system, dating back to prenatal care, and the impacts
each of these events has on the learner later in life. Educators must recognize that although
impacts of poverty might not be immediate, they still play a significant factor in learning.
Another essential aspect of a quality learning organization, is the presence of a shared
vision. Organizations without a clear vision are less productive because they lack clarity in what
they are working towards. Often members of these organizations adopt the learning disability of
I am my job. Members of these organizations work very hard but with little continuity or
direction. This was exemplified in the book when comparing the Detroit auto maker with the
Japanese auto maker. The Japanese automaker created an extremely efficient part by using the
same bolt throughout the process. In contrast, the Detroit automaker had three engineers
working in isolation to design different portions of this part. This lead to the use of three
different bolts on the same part which in turn reduced efficiency significantly. In each of their
minds they believed they had successfully engineered their portion of the part, however, when
the final product was assembled it was ineffective. If the three workers would have collaborated
together to create a shared vision for the overall product, they could have avoided these issues
and created a more effective part. Through reflection I have recognized that a shared vision has
been a common thread in many of the successful teams I have worked with. Vision should not
be something that is handed down to employees by a leader but rather something that is created
by the entire organization and reflects the groups core values and beliefs. By involving
everyone in the process, leaders are able to yield higher results because each member of the

group is working toward something they created and care deeply about. This also eliminates
time wasted from lack of clarity.
Last, systems thinking allows organizations to address root causes to problems to create
lasting results rather than merely placing a band aide on problems which will continue to reveal
themselves. Although, many experts will argue we can never truly be proactive, it is important
we try to deal with the real issues causing problems rather than constantly being reactive to
problems. One way this can be done is by asking why several times when analyzing a problem.
Often the easiest answer or quick fixes only lead to more problems down the road. In education,
as with any profession where the stakes are high, there is a tendency to blame individuals when
things go wrong. Frequently this is because it is much easier to blame someone than to actually
address deep rooted flaws in our systems. However, in order to create lasting change we must
strive to address the real reasons behind these issues. The book provided the example of police
cracking down on drug dealers by increasing their presence in particular areas. However,
without addressing the root causes of drug use in the area, they simply pushed the drug dealers to
another block. Data may show a decrease in drug arrests on this block but the issue was never
addressed it was merely shifted to another block. Similarly in education, we often deal with
problems on the surface level rather than putting in the work to truly address the root causes of
issues to make a difference. This is often evident with the overuse of suspension to deal with
problems. Many times administrators will use suspension as a means to address problems with
attendance or fighting. Suspending students for these issues creates a false impression that these
issues are being addressed. However, suspending students for absences further perpetuates that
problem while failing to address students lack of value and motivation toward their education.

Rather than digging deeper to see why students are missing they are pushed further away from
school by this band aide consequence.
Working in the complex and constantly evolving field of education, it is important leaders
equip their organizations with the skills necessary to adapt to continuous changes. Systems
thinking provides the means necessary to create optimal learning organizations that are able to
learn faster and evolve with the changes they experience. If we continue with the outdated ways
of blaming individuals and bandaging problems rather than improving our systems, we will fail
to ever create lasting change. Furthermore, when organizations are able to see big picture trends,
create shared vision, and address root causes to problems they are able to flourish through
adversity due to their ability to adjust.