If you’ve ever wondered why some problems stubbornly refuse to go away, no matter how many times you “fix” them, you’re not alone. I’ve faced this countless times—at work, in relationships, and even when organizing something as simple as a community event. What I didn’t realize for a long time is that I was treating symptoms instead of stepping back and understanding the system that produced them. That’s exactly what Donella Meadows’ “Thinking in Systems” taught me to do differently.
Maybe you can relate. Have you tried to improve a process at work, only to see new issues crop up elsewhere? Or have you seen small changes spark transformations, while others fall flat despite tremendous effort? “Thinking in Systems” isn’t just a book to read and shelve. It’s a handbook for re-wiring how we see the world and how we respond to complexity. Let’s explore five practical mental models from Meadows that I keep coming back to—sometimes in unexpected ways.
“Once we see the relationships, we begin to understand that we are not helpless. We can create, influence, change, and design systems.”
Let’s start with the first model: Identify System Structures. Most of us instinctively look for individual events—the latest sales slump, that blown project deadline, or the sudden uptick in customer complaints. Meadows encourages us to look beyond these events and ask: What patterns are emerging over time? Are there recurring cycles we keep missing? Who or what is influencing whom? When I adopted this mindset, I began seeing the “invisible wiring” that tied daily outcomes together in my team at work. For example, sudden drops in productivity were rarely about one bad hire—they often pointed to hidden feedback loops, such as unclear policies or reward systems that shaped everyone’s behavior.
But the real “aha” moments came when I recognized feedback loops. These are the virtuous or vicious cycles that either stabilize a system or send it spinning out of control. Positive feedback loops amplify change, while negative loops dampen it. Remember that time small incentives for overtime spurred a runaway workload, burning everyone out? That was a positive feedback loop in action. Or the way regular performance reviews help prevent skill gaps from growing? That’s a stabilizing negative loop. Once you start mapping these relationships, you stop treating every issue as isolated—and start anticipating where patterns will lead.
It’s tempting to try and overhaul everything at once, especially when you’re up against a complex puzzle. But that brings us straight to the second mental model: Leverage Points. Systems rarely respond evenly to change. In fact, most effort is wasted on areas that end up having little impact. Meadows argues that small, smart interventions at the right place can yield huge results. The trick is finding those places.
One question I ask myself now: If I could change just one thing here, what would have the biggest ripple effect? Sometimes it’s tempting to overhaul a company’s entire workflow, but what if a bottleneck was caused by just one approval step? Removing or redesigning that single step can transform the whole process. Meadows reminds us that leverage points are often counterintuitive. Increasing information flows—like making data visible to everyone—can be more powerful than adding more rules or resources.
This way of thinking is powerful in personal life, too. Think about health. Instead of obsessing over the perfect exercise routine, tweaking your sleep schedule or stress management might produce outsized health benefits. Small hinges really can swing big doors.
“The solutions of today become the problems of tomorrow.”
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that systems don’t always respond on the timeline you expect. That brings us to our third model: Watch for Delays. Systems love to keep us guessing. You might implement a new policy and expect immediate results, but nothing changes. Then, months later, you see sudden, dramatic effects—either for good or for ill.
Have you ever watered a wilting plant, only to see it recover days later? Or launched a new product and braced yourself for instant feedback, only to realize that customer adoption came in waves long after the launch? Delays are everywhere, from supply chains to education systems. They can lead to wild oscillations—over-corrections, missed targets, or waste. If you don’t account for them, you risk giving up too soon or hammering the system with repeated changes, making things worse.
Anticipating delays has taught me patience and precision. Now, when I step in to help a struggling team, I ask: “What results should we expect now, and which ones are likely to show up later?” By setting realistic timelines and preparing for delayed effects, I avoid the panic and confusion that used to derail projects. Next time you plan an intervention, try building in a buffer and watch how differently everyone responds.
“Problems that are created by our current level of thinking can’t be solved by that same level of thinking.”
Understanding what’s inside and outside the system is vital—a point Meadows calls Respect System Boundaries. It’s easy to overestimate what you can control and underestimate external influences. When we draw a line around a system, we define what’s relevant and what’s not… but reality is always more complex.
Have you ever tried to “fix” office morale by tweaking internal communications, only to find that external economic pressures are sapping motivation no matter what you do? Or struggled to reduce energy costs at home, forgetting that weather and utility rates are set by factors outside your control? The trick is to clearly define your scope but stay open to re-drawing boundaries when reality demands it.
This model also helps prevent blame games. When you see a problem, instead of finger-pointing, ask: What’s within our system’s control? What’s external? Where does our influence really stop? By facing those edges honestly, you can focus your energy where it matters most and avoid the drain of fighting battles you can’t win.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Last but not least: Recognize System Archetypes. Systems may look unique on the surface, but they often fall into recurring patterns. These archetypes play out everywhere—from organizations to natural ecosystems to families. Two classic examples are “fixes that fail” and “tragedy of the commons.”
We’ve all watched quick fixes backfire. Maybe you cut corners to hit a deadline, only to double your workload down the road. Or you address a staffing crisis by hiring temp workers, which drains morale and leads to higher turnover. These are classic “fixes that fail”—the symptom comes back, often worse than before, because you treated the surface, not the root pattern.
The “tragedy of the commons” is even sneakier. When shared resources—like time, budget, or public spaces—aren’t managed collectively, everyone acts in their own interest, quickly depleting what’s available for all. Maybe you’ve seen this with shared software licenses, or in neighborhoods grappling with overuse of common amenities. Recognizing these archetypes doesn’t just help you diagnose trouble; it helps you predict and sidestep the same pitfalls before they spiral.
I find it incredibly liberating to map challenges using these models—connection by connection. At work, I sometimes gather the team around a whiteboard and draw out the loops, boundaries, and recurring patterns in a project gone sideways. We seek high-leverage points, watch for where time lags might throw off our expectations, and ask tough questions about what’s truly inside our circle of influence.
So, how can you apply these mental models day to day? Start by mapping connections between seemingly unrelated problems you keep facing. Look for the feedback loops driving behaviors. Instead of reaching for the “obvious” solution, ask: Where’s the leverage? What small change might transform the whole? In planning, always factor in the time it may take for your actions to play out—don’t get discouraged by slow progress, and beware of acting too soon or too often in the face of delays.
Define the scope of the problem carefully, and be honest about what’s inside your system—and what isn’t. When you spot familiar patterns, draw on past lessons. Ask yourself: “Have we seen this before? What happened then?”
“To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
That’s the real power of systems thinking—it reshapes how you approach every challenge, in organizations, communities, and even personal growth. Instead of feeling battered by endless problems, you become a curious detective, always seeking the patterns, feedbacks, and relationships that shape outcomes. And once you see those, you’re never tempted by “whack-a-mole” fixes again.
Think back: Where have you seen these models at work in your own life? Where might a systems approach have saved you time, effort, or heartache? Next time you face a complex challenge, try seeing it through Meadows’ lens. You’ll not only find better solutions—you may just see things you never noticed before.
