The Value of Being a Systems Thinker

And how to become one.

Photo by Dose Juice on Unsplash

Let’s talk about systems thinking. At its core, it’s the ability to see the bigger picture, to connect dots others miss, and to solve problems in a way that creates lasting impact. It’s not just about solving the problem in front of you, it’s about understanding how that problem exists within a larger web of relationships, dynamics, and possibilities.

Systems thinkers don’t just ask, “How do I fix this?” They ask, “What ripple effects will this solution create? How does this one piece influence the entire puzzle?”

Here’s why that matters: the world is messy. Businesses are messy. And if you’re only focused on the immediate fire, you’ll miss the structural flaw in the foundation that keeps causing the sparks.

Let me show you what I mean, drawing on my own experience.

The day I learned to think in systems

A few years ago, I was leading a product marketing initiative that seemed simple enough on the surface: help an entrepreneur -focused e-commerce platform grow GMV (Gross Merchandise Value). The playbook? Double down on acquiring entrepreneurs who could sell the most.

At first, we did what most teams do. We mapped out a direct path: identify the top-performing entrepreneurs, improve their experience, and watch the revenue roll in. Simple, right?

Not quite. As we dug deeper, we realized something critical: entrepreneurs don’t succeed in isolation. Their sales depended on a system of interconnected factors—the platform’s discoverability, their ability to promote products on social channels, the quality of our tools, and even how we onboarded them.

If any part of that system failed, we’d lose them. Worse, if we only focused on the top-performing entrepreneurs, we risked alienating the rest of the community, damaging the overall ecosystem.

So, we zoomed out. We mapped the entire user journey and the underlying system of dependencies. We identified bottlenecks and opportunities we hadn’t seen before, like improving onboarding to reduce drop-off, or leveraging AI to help new entrepreneurs find success faster.

The result? We didn’t just grow GMV; we built a system that empowered entrepreneurs at every stage. And the effects weren’t temporary. They rippled across the platform, creating long-term growth and a stronger community.

Why systems thinking matters

Stories like this aren’t unique to growth or product marketing, they’re everywhere. Systems thinking is a superpower that helps you:

1. Solve the right problem
   Without a systems mindset, you risk addressing symptoms instead of root causes. Systems thinkers dig deeper, asking why problems exist and how they connect to larger patterns.

2. Create lasting solutions
   Quick fixes rarely last because they ignore the broader context. Systems thinking forces you to consider long-term consequences, building solutions that work not just today but tomorrow.

3. Navigate complexity with confidence
   Whether you’re managing a team, scaling a product, or launching a campaign, complexity is the rule, not the exception. Systems thinkers embrace that complexity, using it to uncover hidden opportunities.

4. Stand out as a leader
   People who think in systems don’t just execute; they innovate. They become the ones others turn to when the stakes are high and the path forward isn’t clear.

How to become a systems thinker

The good news? Systems thinking isn’t an innate talent; it’s a skill you can develop. Here’s how to get started: