Systems Intelligence Vs. Systems Thinking
One often encountered criticism of systems intelligence is its vocabular similarity to systems thinking. Systems intelligence has its foundations on systems thinking, especially in the research conducted by Peter Senge, but while systems thinking is a mental model that one can use as a tool, systems intelligence is an intrinsic type of intelligence in a human being.
Hämäläinen and Saarinen highlight the difference between systems thinking and systems intelligence via a hierarchical five-level model of systems intelligence. The levels for the amount of systems intelligence in a person are
- Seeing oneself in a system, or being aware of the systemic environment with systems thinking.
- Thinking about systems intelligence, or being aware that possibilities for productivity stem from the interaction with oneself and the system.
- Managing systems intelligence, or exercising productive ways of behaviour in the system.
- Sustaining systems intelligence, or exercising productivity in the long run.
- Leadership with systems intelligence, or initiating and leading organizations that are systems intelligent.
The more levels a person is able to handle, the more systems intelligent he or she is. A person equipped only with the mental model of systems thinking is left at level 1, while systems intelligence is needed in every level after that.
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