Fascinating read! I wonder if we risk reducing systems thinking into types rather than seeing it as a skill on a spectrum... i see a two additional variables which come into play in defining the kind of systems thinker a person might be, with the caveat that anyone can change where they sit on these spectrum and thus evolve in type... they are the "philosopher - engineer" spectrum which goes from thinking-heavy to doing-heavy and emotional/social intelligence spectrum which goes from low to high. My summary would be that Sensemakers are highly philosophical, high social intelligence, Pathfinders are also highly philosophical but lower on the social intelligence. Creators high engineering but low social intelligence and Catalysts are high engineering and high social intelligence. What do you think?
Thanks, Jess. I agree with all of this. As with all frameworks, they can be a useful sense-making device, but shouldn't be read as a hard-edged typology. Regardless, it's important for us to attempt to describe and explain the world around us to enable different types of action. I'll think about these spectrums more in the next iteration 😊
Fascinating read! I wonder if we risk reducing systems thinking into types rather than seeing it as a skill on a spectrum... i see a two additional variables which come into play in defining the kind of systems thinker a person might be, with the caveat that anyone can change where they sit on these spectrum and thus evolve in type... they are the "philosopher - engineer" spectrum which goes from thinking-heavy to doing-heavy and emotional/social intelligence spectrum which goes from low to high. My summary would be that Sensemakers are highly philosophical, high social intelligence, Pathfinders are also highly philosophical but lower on the social intelligence. Creators high engineering but low social intelligence and Catalysts are high engineering and high social intelligence. What do you think?
Thanks, Jess. I agree with all of this. As with all frameworks, they can be a useful sense-making device, but shouldn't be read as a hard-edged typology. Regardless, it's important for us to attempt to describe and explain the world around us to enable different types of action. I'll think about these spectrums more in the next iteration 😊