Episode description

Interview with Pat Kua, former engineering leader, current leadership coach about applying systems thinking to management. We start from the defintion systems thinking and discuss applying it to leadership with clear steps and concrete examples.

Sign up to the Level-up Engineering newsletter!

In this interview we're covering:

• The definition of systems thinking
• Applying systems thinking to leadership
• Key concepts and potential traps of systems thinking
• The steps of applying systems thinking
• The importance of exploration in systems thinking
• Tools for systems thinking
• Bonus advice to apply systems thinking in leadership

Excerpt from the interview:

"Systems thinking focuses on emergent behavior. It’s about qualities that the individual parts alone don’t possess.

Human life is a good example for this. We’re made up of parts, such as skin, brain, etc., but none of these parts can be alive on their own. Life only happens when you combine them.

The reductionist view is still important and valuable. Systems thinking is a complement to the classic scientific view. It can help you take a holistic approach to understand complex systems."

Click here to read the full interview!