Deepen your systems practice alongside RE-AMP Network members in this unique Academy experience. Over 8 weeks, I’ll share the foundational articles written for this spring’s Systems Thinking Academy — concepts that help us shift from mechanistic thinking to working skillfully with complex adaptive systems. Perfect for network practitioners ready to practice the relational art of holding systems thinking steady when complexity gets uncomfortable.

Why do we get stuck even when our hearts are in the right place? Systems thinking starts with understanding how our mental habits unconsciously reinforce the very patterns we want to change.

Why does change feel so elusive, even when there’s abundant good will? The answer lies in shared paradigms—the invisible architectures of meaning that govern what we notice, ignore, and believe is possible. Discover why paradigm shifts are the most potent point of intervention for lasting systemic transformation

Why do systems revert to old patterns even after successful change efforts? The answer lies in understanding human systems as Complex Adaptive Systems, where agents interact to create self-reinforcing patterns. Durable transformation requires reshaping deeper patterns of relationship, perception, and meaning—not just controlling surface behaviors.

How do you know whether a situation calls for planning or emergence? The Stacey Matrix offers a pattern-sensing guide for understanding different types of complexity. By mapping agreement and certainty levels, you can choose approaches that fit the conditions—from simple solutions to navigating chaos.

This is the sixth article in my 8-week series exploring foundational systems thinking concepts, written for the 2025 RE-AMP Systems Thinking Academy. Whether you’re following along with the series or diving deep into systems practice, this article explores Adaptive Action — a simple but profound rhythm for engaging with complexity. Learn more about the Academy…

From perceiving the dance to joining it — where systems thinking turns into practice. It’s one thing to notice our mental habits or name the paradigms that shape our systems. It’s another to step into the flow of emergence, choosing moves that both respond to what is and invite what might be.

This is the seventh article in my 8-week series exploring foundational systems thinking concepts, written for the 2025 RE-AMP Systems Thinking Academy. Whether you’re following along with the series or diving deep into systems practice, this article explores Pattern Spotting — a practice for noticing and sensing emerging patterns in Complex Adaptive Systems. Learn more…

The CDE Model helps us discern the deeper patterns in our systems. Although we can’t control outcomes, we can shape conditions so life-giving patterns are more likely to emerge.