How can you improve your ability to think holistically?

Step from the dancefloor on the balcony and observe. keep the vision in mind and what is needed to accomplish that. When have that, observe the status quo and close the gap, step by step.

The best strategy to improve our ability to think holistically is to incorporate diverse perspectives and practices into our thinking process. By embracing different ways of seeing the world, we can expand our own understanding and challenge our assumptions. This includes engaging with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds, exploring multiple disciplines and fields of study, and practicing mindfulness and reflection. By doing so, we can cultivate a more nuanced and inclusive approach to problem-solving and decision-making, ultimately leading to more effective and sustainable solutions.

Try asking yourself, "Where is reality different from what I want it to be?" This will help us remove biases and provide a more holisitc view of the picture in hand. More points we can gather in it, more concrete our understand be. And of course, writing everything down helps immensely. :)

Go beyond anthropocentric thinking. In one meeting, we literally had other beings (e.g., animal, plant, fungus, mountain, place, water, etc.) 'present' as a screen or on a placeholder, with a seat at the table. How would they feel about the decisions we make? It needs to come from a place of deep listening to observations, not mere assumptions. Every human action has reverberations on other beings. Learning to listen to their needs, rhythms, interests will help us make more holistic decisions.

What assumptions do we hold? What previously held beliefs or patterns do we want to evolve from? Examining how your group arrived at those assumptions help to see whether the underlying values are actually ones that you resonate with. Starting with the values you want to honour, create new assumptions.

Always base any holistic thinking on specifics. This might sound the exact opposite to holistic but it isn't. What is the potential of the particular place, people, community, culture, etc. that you're designing/ thinking for? Without these, you cannot see the system at work. Explore the nestedness of the thing you are holistically designing or thinking for. What larger systems are at play?

Holistic thinking can unlock strategy and inspire your colleagues; the big picture is an image in which we can all see ourselves - the point above about diversity is so critical. The challenge can be the smaller pictures that crowd our view of the day. How to focus on the big picture when so many details are demanding time and thought? Here are a few things that have worked for me: Book an appointment in your diary to work on holistic thinking. Carving out a specific time sets aside other details and wards off interruptions. Discuss with someone unrelated to the specific situation. Someone hearing about it for the first time doesn't have the same barriers as you do. Take your work home! Spending some of your own time isn't always bad.