Wheatley Dialogue LO10502

Virginia I. Shafer (vshafer@azstarnet.com)
Tue, 15 Oct 1996 10:27:28 -0700 (MST)

Replying to LO10404 --

Robert Bacal wrote:

>> An interesting question though. IF individuals are cognitively limited in
>> grasping complex systems, is it possible for a group of individuals to
>> collectively understand a complex system?

Then Rick Karash wrote:

>Do individuals and groups have a cognitive limitation in grasping complex
>systems?

[snip]

>In teaching systems thinking (archetypes and system dynamics modelling) I
>feel that I'm actually helping people build a new organ of perception.
>Afterwards they are able to see things that they didn't see before.
>
>And, these comments are about seeing relatively simple systemic
>structures. Many important real-world phenomena are much more complex and
>therefore probably much harder to see.

But seeable nonetheless through many eyes. When the people involved with
"important real-world phenomena," are trained in systems thinking and
learn the tool of dialogue, I believe they can "collectively understand a
complex system." Afterall, isn't that why we're here?

-- 

Ginger Shafer The Leadership Dimension "Bringing Leadership to Life" vshafer@azstarnet.com

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>