What is a key principle of self-thinking?
A core principle of self-thinking within the Clarity Lab Method is recognising and integrating personal agency with systems awareness. This approach represents a shift from pure systems thinking to self thinking, but it’s not about abandoning systems thinking; rather, it’s a complementary approach.
Addressing limitations of pure systems thinking:
The Clarity Lab Method recognises that while systems thinking helps us understand relationships and patterns in complex phenomena, pure systems thinking can sometimes diminish the role of individual agency. It can sometimes lead to the “system-first fallacy,” where frameworks prioritise systems over individuals.
Integration of agency and awareness:
Self-thinking integrates personal agency with systems awareness. This means acknowledging that individuals can make meaningful choices even within constraining environments.
It positions individuals as primary agents of change, not just components within systems. It involves understanding the bidirectional relationship between individuals and systems, balancing individual needs with systemic realities.
Dual awareness:
The method helps individuals and teams maintain what is called “dual awareness”, that is, attention to both self and system, to both personal meaning and contextual reality. This integrated approach creates a richer understanding than either perspective alone could provide, forming a more complete foundation for effective action.
How it manifests in the method's phases
This principle is woven throughout the Clarity Lab Method’s three focus areas:
- In the Explore Together phase, it involves mapping not just external factors and constraints but also internal landscapes of meaning, value, and aspiration. It asks not only “what forces are shaping this situation?” but also “how am I/we interpreting and responding to these forces?”.
- In the Elaborate phase (Vision Crafting), it supports the articulation of futures that are both personally meaningful and systemically viable. It helps bridge individual aspirations with contextual realities, creating visions that inspire without ignoring constraints.
- In the Land and Scale phase, it involves developing strategies that leverage personal agency within systemic contexts. It identifies where individual choices can create ripple effects in larger systems and where collective action might be needed to address structural constraints. The Influence Blueprint tool is a practical example of this, helping individuals clarify where they have agency versus where there are external constraints.
So what?
In essence, self-thinking is about empowering individuals to make more intentional choices, navigate complex environments, and develop strategic clarity by consciously engaging with both their internal landscape and the external systems influencing them.
It moves beyond a purely analytical view of systems to one that honours the human experience and the capacity for self-directed action within those systems.