Thinking method · Meadows, Thinking in Systems
Look for the leverage point
Finding where a small change moves a lot — usually not where the noise is. When effort is high and movement is low.
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Finding where a small change moves a lot — usually not where the noise is.
The steps
- List where effort is currently going.
- Ask instead: what rule, what information flow, or who decides?
- Rank candidates by how much would change if that one thing changed.
- Notice that the visible, effortful activity is rarely the highest-leverage one.
When to use it
When effort is high and movement is low.
What it will not do
High-leverage points are often the hardest to move politically. Feasible beats optimal.
Where it comes from: Meadows, Thinking in Systems. Described in our own words.
The module it belongs to
- Systems Thinking — Understand connections and consequences