“A single persuasive leader working directly on #goals and #values can shift the functioning of a massive system. So can a leader who opens up or closes down, speeds up or slows down, distorts or clarifies information flows.”
— #DonellaMeadows #facilitation #complexity #systems #ethics @ethics

“A system must consist of three kinds of things: elements, interconnections, and a
function or purpose.”
— #DonellaMeadows #quotes #facilitation #complexity #systems #ethics @ethics

What an excellent and relatable explanation of key features of systems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_BtS008J0k&t=549s&ab_channel=DonellaMeadows
#SystemThinking #DonellaMeadows

In "Leverage Points" Donella Meadows ranks the ways of driving change in a system, from least to most effective. "Power has less to do with pushing leverage points than it does with strategically, profoundly, madly letting go"
https://donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Leverage_Points.pdf #systemdynamics #systemsthinking #leveragepoints #donellameadows #MIT #fifthdiscipline #change #systemchange #climatechange #commonearth #ecodharma

Leverage points to intervene in a system

2. Mindset or paradigm that the system — its goals, structure, rules, delays, parameters — arises from
Paradigms might be changed by pointing out anomalies/failures in the current paradigm to open minds.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

3. Goal of the system
Changing goals changes every item listed above: parameters, feedback loops, information and self-organization.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

4. Power to add, change, evolve, or self-organize system structure
Ability to change by creating new structures, adding new negative & positive feedback loops, promoting information flows, making rules.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Responses so far to my request for works that aren't stuck in fear, gloom and doom narratives related to #sustainability #climate #environment

Movements
#TakeTheJump
#SolarPunk
#permaculture
#AIArt

Non-Fiction
#SusanneMoser
#GlennAlbrecht
#ElinKelsey
#DonellaMeadows
#AlastairMcIntosh
@annaleen
#SuzanneSimard
#RobinWallKimmerer
#MerlinSheldrake

Fiction and #clifi
@octaviacade
#KimStanleyRobinson
#ErnestCallenbach
#OctaviaButler
#RichardPowers
#CharlotteMcConaghy

Twelve leverage points - Wikipedia https://b.mamund.com/3fUZK6y

Leverage points to intervene in a system from most effective to least

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

5. Rules of the system (such as incentives, punishment, constraints)
Pay attention to rules, and to who makes them.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

6. Structure of information flow (who does and does not have access to what kinds of information)
It is cheaper and easier to change information flows than it is to change structure.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

7. Gain around driving positive feedback loops
A positive feedback loop speeds up a process. In most cases, it is preferable to slow down a positive loop, rather than speeding up a negative one.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

7. Gain around driving positive feedback loops
A positive feedback loop speeds up a process. In most cases, it is preferable to slow down a positive loop, rather than speeding up a negative one.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

8. Strength of negative feedback loops, relative to the effect they are trying to correct against
A negative feedback loop slows down a process, tending to promote stability.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

8. Strength of negative feedback loops, relative to the effect they are trying to correct against
A negative feedback loop slows down a process, tending to promote stability.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

9. Length of delays, relative to the rate of system changes
Information received too quickly or too late can cause over- or underreaction, even oscillations.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

9. Length of delays, relative to the rate of system changes
Information received too quickly or too late can cause over- or underreaction, even oscillations.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Anthropocene Magazine has a great logo! Not only does it diverge from the strategy of:

Alert people to the climate crisis ➡️
Summon their alarm & outrage ➡️
Hope their behavior changes

...it also fits with Dana Meadows’ ideas about irreducible uncertainty.

https://bit.ly/3j49dqr

https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/about-us/

#ClimateCrisis #anthropocene #DonellaMeadows #NewNarratives #ClimateChangeCommunication

Leverage points to intervene in a system

10. Structure of material stocks and flows
Structure may have enormous effect on operations, but difficult or expensive to change. Fluctuations, limitations, and bottlenecks may be easier to address.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows

Leverage points to intervene in a system

11. The size of buffers and other stabilizing stocks, relative to their flows
ability to stabilize a system is important when the stock amount is much higher than potential amount of inflows or outflows.

#systemThinking #DonellaMeadows