A world leader in consumer and business electronics had been conducting an intensive internal Senior Management Leadership Development Program for several years. The program consisted of a series of training sessions lasting 4-6 days per session followed by several months of self-directed and remote team learning. The entire program was conducted over a 12-month period with 2-3 groups participating as a cohort group in the program each year.

Feedback from participants, sponsoring leaders, and the organization's internal faculty indicated that the program's material and training on problem solving did not reflect the dynamic and complex nature of the real-work problems they routinely faced. Recognizing that their program lacked a practical and dynamic problem-solving component, they turned to Work Systems Affiliates.

Working in partnership with the client's OD delivery team and based on our years of teaching and practicing Systems Thinking in our consulting work, we developed a customized two-day Systems Thinking Program specifically for this company.

The Systems Thinking Program incorporated a number of client-specific examples that were used in the teaching and applications components of the program. Starting with the famous "Beer Game" – a business simulation - the Systems Thinking Program integrated the conceptual and practical tools of systems thinking and complexity problem solving.

The focus of the training was on the practical use of systems thinking and causal loop diagramming. Over 80% of the program involved hands-on application of the tools and processes to their own real-time, real-work challenges.

Work Systems Affiliates has now become an integrated member of the client's delivery team for this program. Alumni of the program and their leaders have repeatedly indicates that the Systems Thinking component of this extensive effort is "one of the most practical, useful, and valuable components of the program."

They have cited numerous examples of when they have been able to apply what they learned the "next day at work." Sponsors have also indicated "a measurable increase in participants' ability to identify, communicate, and leverage increasingly complex business challenges and problems."