leveraging systems thinking for strategic clarity

INTASE Leadership Conference Singapore 2014 Chris Jansen – University of Canterbury, New Zealand

www.leadershiplab.co.nz www.ideacreation.org

Leveraging system thinking for strategic clarity

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Chris Jansen

Systems Thinking…

….is a way of making

sense of a complex system

…is the ability to see the world as relationships and connections

...allows us to influence a complex system

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“Where the world is dynamic, evolving and interconnected, we

tend to make decisions using mental models that are

static, narrow, and reductionist.”

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Seeing connections instead of parts…

“You can never understand anything

by analysing it.”

“We have to understand the whole before

we can understand the parts - what

matters is their interaction.”

Russell Ackoff

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Student behaviour

issuesQuality of alternative

programmes

S

O

Programme appeal to

other students

S

B

R

“Causal loop diagrams provide a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than events, for seeing

patterns of change rather than snapshots”

Senge

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# students enrolled

reputation

student satisfaction

resources (physical,

people)

revenue

S S

S

S

S

resources for

research

staff research

activity

UC research

profile

TEC funding S

S

S

S

efts cap

economy

marketing

financial targets

management

strategies

imposed performance

standards

staff involvement in

decision making

motivation and

commitment

resistance

collaboration/

engagementteam spirit/ morale

sick leave, stress

leave, staff turnover

S

S

O

SO

O

S

S

O

O

O

Causal loopdiagram for

University ofCanterbury

R1 Growth

R2 Growth R3

Performance

B1 Resistance

B2 Health

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The Iceberg Model Four levels of thinking

Events

Patterns

Systemic structure

Mental models

Maani 2010

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What influences youth wellbeing in CHCH?

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The Iceberg Model Four levels of thinking

Events

Patterns

Systemic structure

Mental models

Maani 2010

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System thinking tools – affinity process

1) Clarify the question

2) Determine influence factors

3) Map connections

4) Identify leverage

5) Act with clarity

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What are the indicators of a successful

school in Singapore?

What are the factors that contribute to this?

• What influences that?

• What influences that?

• What influences that?

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SUCCESSFUL

SCHOOL

Holistic

Achievement

Student –

student

relationships

Professional

development

Staff – staff

relationships

Staff – student

relationships

Effective

leadership

Staff culture

Resources and

infrastructure

Powerful

teaching and

learning

Student

engagement

Community

engagement

Communication

Decision

making

processes

Credibility

$$$$$$

Marketing and

image

Data on results

Staff

engagement

Systems that

work

Students

enrolling Mentoring and

pastoral

support Vision and

values

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Annual Goals 2012

1. Advancing student achievement through effective use of data

2. Continue implementation of school curriculum document

3. Consolidating a positive school wide culture for learning

4. Enhance presence in and engagement with community

5. Sustained improvement in school wide leadership, systems and processes

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What factors promote positive student behaviour?

Questions focussed on parts of organisations…

What factors effect powerful professional learning in schools?

What processes build effective collaborations with communities?

How could embracing technology impact achievement?

System thinking tools – affinity process

1) Clarify the question

2) Determine influence factors

3) Map connections

4) Identify leverage

5) Act with clarity

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“Clarify the question”….. What question would be useful for your organisation to explore…..

• How can we maximise our collective performance in rebuilding CHCH horizontal

infrastructure?

• How can we support the resilience and well being of people in CHCH?

• How can we re-configure a merged school?

• How can we meet growing need in an environment of reducing funds?

• How can we achieve cultural transformation?

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Keeping in contact….

chris.jansen@canterbury.ac.nz

www.ideacreation.org

www.leadershiplab.co.nz

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