The latest INCOSE podcast is out now!
Whether we are designing complex aerospace architectures or just trying to get our kids to take out the trash, we are constantly navigating systems. But how often do we stop to analyze how we are actually thinking through these problems?
In the latest episode of the INCOSE Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Laura Cabrera, a renowned Cornell faculty researcher, author, and global leader in systems thinking. She demystifies systems science, stripping away the heavy academic jargon to offer practical tools for tackling “wicked problems” in both leadership and everyday life.
Why you won’t want to miss this episode:
- The 34,000-Person Reality Check: Dr. Cabrera shares fascinating data from a massive study revealing exactly where human engineering and problem-solving teams fall short when mapping out complex problems (hint: less than 1 in 10 people naturally look at a system from another perspective).
- The 4 Universal Patterns of Thought: Learn the core DSRP framework—Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives—and how mastering these four cognitive patterns can serve as a diagnostic tool when your project or team hits a wall.
- Ditching the “Root Cause” Myth: Discover why traditional linear thinking (A leads to B) fails in a complex world. Dr. Cabrera breaks down the “webs of causality” using a brilliant 10-hole leaking roof analogy that will fundamentally change how you approach multi-pronged solutions.
- Content-Agnostic Impact: From teaching kindergartners the structure of world geography to helping high schoolers reshape behavioral models, listen to incredible real-world stories of how teaching people how to think rather than what to think changes everything.
This episode is a powerful reminder that systems thinking is a learnable, teachable, and measurable skill that belongs in everyone’s professional backpack.
Available now on the INCOSE Podcast webpage and wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe and share the episode with a colleague who thrives on mastering complexity!
And don’t forget to check out all the other INCOSE Podcasts here!