Systems thinking in action

General systems theory asserts that its principles apply universally across systems, regardless of their components or environments, focusing on wholes rather than isolated entities (Bertalanffy, 2015). Bertalanffy described this as a hierarchy of nested systems, an idea expanded by Wilber (2010) as “holarchies”—natural hierarchies of increasing wholeness, like a family fitting inside a school (p. 45).

Meadows (2008) reinforces this by emphasizing that systems thinking reveals leverage points—spots where small changes make a big difference—applicable across scales, from cells to societies (p. 145). For example, a cell uses energy to grow, just like a city uses resources to expand—both follow the same system rules. These ideas connect tiny living things, Earth’s balance, and human groups, showing how systems thinking works everywhere.

Systems thinking shows how everything fits together, from tiny cells to huge societies. It’s not about separate pieces but the whole picture—like layers of a cake stacking up. This way of looking at things helps us find smart ways to make changes that work everywhere. Whether it’s a single living thing or a whole community, the same big ideas connect them all, no matter the size.