Systems Thinking – open training, București

Systems Thinking Training

In a world filled with complex challenges, mastering the art of Systems Thinking can be the key to unlocking innovative solutions.

Ascent Group, together with Dr Robert Collins were bringing for the first time in Romania the Systems Thinking course, in 2023, in Timișoara. This year we are returning with first module ever organised in Bucharest. Dr. Collins has been teaching multiple courses in business and technology at Oxford University in the UK for over 25 years and is an expert in Business Improvement, Complex Systems and Systems Thinking.

This training is ideal for professionals from diverse backgrounds who want to enhance their problem-solving and decision-making skills. Whether you’re a manager, leader, change agent or entrepreneur, Systems Thinking can revolutionize the way you approach complex challenges.

About the topic

In contrast to traditional analysis, which focuses on studying each element separately, Systems Thinking  provides a holistic perspective, allowing us to see the big picture and uncover hidden patterns, thus enabling System Thinkers to have a long-lasting impact on their organizations and the wider world. 

This topic has found applications in many fields including business change, medicine, environment and sustainability, politics, economics, human resources, educational systems, and others.

What problems does Systems Thinking address?

It is not uncommon to try to solve problems and make changes only to see our ‘solutions’ fail and for our changes not to have impact. We are often confronted by the unexpected and frustrated by lack of progress. It may feel as if we are battling against a hidden enemy that resists every possible change. That ‘enemy’ is complexity. Complexity arises naturally in nearly all aspects of human endeavor. 

We can’t remove complexity completely – but we can use tools, techniques, patterns and models to help navigate complexity. This course will enable participants first to recognize situations in which ‘obvious’ solutions are doomed to failure. Then it will provide methods and skills to give a much greater chance of success in the face of complexity.

Some of the tools and methods are ‘technical’ – but most are humanistic: enabling teams of collaborating individuals to share a common understanding of problems, potential solutions and likely obstacles.

Systems Thinking moves thinking ‘up a level’. Rather than battling the small stuff, that can wreck projects, change and improvement, System Thinking enables powerful thinking to achieve greater success. 

Course objectives

• Familiarizing participants with the main concepts of Systems Thinking
• Developing the ability to analyze and identify the causes and consequences within a system
• Acquiring specific Systems Thinking working tools
• Enhancing participants’ capacity to create and improve systems

Key Themes

• What is Systems Thinking (ST)? Why is it important? 
• What can ST improve or change?
• When should we apply Systemic Thinking? When is it useful?
• Why are things so complex and how can we manage complexity? 
• What tools can we use to understand causes and consequences and improve our chances of success?
• Why do some things come back to bite us? (Causal loops)
• Why can things escalate so quickly and what can we do about it?
• How can we apply patterns, models and ‘archetypes’ to understanding common complex situations?
• How can we understand change and dynamics? Practical models and methods for understanding change and flow

What do you gain by participating?

• Develop a deep understanding of Systems Thinking principles and concepts.
• Acquire practical skills to analyze and map complex situations, identifying feedback loops and interdependencies.
• Gain the ability to anticipate unintended consequences and identify leverage points for positive change.
• Foster innovation and collaboration by recognizing the broader context for any problem.
• Gain a competitive advantage by adopting a powerful mindset for understanding complexity.
• Learn how to address intricate challenges with confidence and creativity.
• Network with like-minded professionals and be part of a community passionate about Systems Thinking.

About the trainer

Dr. Robert Collins is a business consultant and educator who has been delivering courses through the University of Oxford for over 25 years. 

His extensive experience, gained through consulting activities with both public entities (British government) and private entities (Smiths Industries, GM Finance, GMAC, Lockheed Martin), has helped him develop an extensive and highly applicable methodology for Systems Thinking, a subject he passionately speaks about. 

The beneficiaries of his courses have succeeded in implementing significant and lasting changes in their organizations, thereby improving their businesses.

Additional information

This program will run over the course of 2 days, in Bucharest. Participants to the training will receive more specific guidelines and logistical details prior to the kick-off of the course.

The training will be delivered in English.

The Systems Thinking course will be highly interactive, with many practical examples and activities.

The course will mostly focus on skills, methods and tools that everybody can use in their organisation and in workshop sessions. However, there will be a short section where course participants will have the opportunity to use an Internet-based computer tool that can be helpful in this area. Attendees are invited to bring their own laptop computers if they would like to use this tool using their own IT. No software installation will be required as this is 100% web-based and the tool will be available for all attendees to use after the course finishes. We will also provide a small number of computers which we will make available for attendees who are not able to bring their own.

Included in the fee:

• full access to the 2 days of training (16 hours)
• delivery of this program by Dr. Robert Collins, business consultant and educator who has been delivering courses through the University of Oxford for over 25 years
• the costs for licenses, materials and activities employed in the training
• participation certificate
• lunch and coffee breaks on both training days

The quoted fees are not VAT inclusive.

Organizations that sign up multiple participants may benefit from discounts:

• 5% discount for the 2nd participant
• 10% discount for the 3rd participant

For those companies that are already Ascent clients we offer an additional 10% discount to the fee.

Please contact us for more information.

Pentru mai multe informații:

Cristina Balaciu

• +40 357 560 300
• [email protected]