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How to safely think in systems. | Irrational Exuberance

lethain.com · 1,098 words · saved by 1 readers

While there are a decent number of folks out there modeling systems, there’s a much larger group of folks who think of themselves as systems thinkers but utilize techniques like modeling rather casually (a polite way of saying that they don’t use them). Even with modeling tools available, I’ve often taken the shortcut of intuitive modeling, which over time has given me quite the education in making well-intentioned reasoning errors.

The second most impactful book I’ve read is George Lakoff’s Don’t Think of an Elephant which lays out his theory of communication. Lakoff explores a fundamental organizational challenge: as you grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to communicate when you’re not in the room where a discussion happens. I once worked with a staff engineer who described their most significant contribution as giving initiatives catchy names and slogans to propel ideas further than any supporting data might. That said, Don’t Think of an Elephant is my second most influential book, so there is one ahead of it . Th

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