Persistent issues—such as national unemployment—are not merely a sequence of isolated causes and effects. They are structured traps. That is why they endure, whether we recognize them or not. And like all traps, they are designed to remain hidden. Think of a mousetrap—it is only effective when it goes unnoticed.
Uncovering these traps—whether in the form of mental models, ingrained assumptions, or broader systemic forces—is at the heart of this work.
An untrained mind instinctively resists unfamiliar insights, reinforcing the very traps we seek to dismantle. Those who engage deeply with this approach take the time to sit with the concepts, allowing them to truly sink in. Once you recognize the trap, you stop feeding it. And in doing so, you begin to dismantle it altogether.
At its core, this work focuses on systemic structures—the underlying frameworks that shape behaviors and outcomes. These structures create interwoven cause-and-effect relationships that form feedback loops, trapping societies, economies, and organizations in cycles of stagnation or decline. When we speak of systemic structures, we are not referring to surface-level symptoms but to the deep-rooted forces that perpetuate the very problems we repeatedly attempt—and fail—to resolve.
Breaking these cycles requires more than temporary fixes; it demands a fundamental, long-term commitment to dismantling the structural causes of the problem. These are not challenges to be deferred to future generations, as inaction only allows them to worsen. Yet, within these very structures lies the potential for transformation—if approached with the right interventions, they can be reshaped to drive sustainable progress rather than persistent failure.
When these systems are working against us, problems compound, crises escalate, and solutions seem out of reach. But when they are working for us, challenges resolve themselves naturally—often without direct intervention.
For decision-makers, these structures manifest as recurring performance issues, persistent policy failures, or the unintended consequences of well-meaning interventions. For communities, they emerge as crime, unemployment, substance abuse, public health crises, or declining education standards.
As parents, we instinctively “fight the problem”—sometimes even the child.
As leaders, we must do more. We must learn to engage with the structures driving these behaviors. When we do, we discover that real solutions are not only possible but often far simpler than we assumed.
If we fail to address these structures, future generations will inherit the same battles—except the intensity of these challenges will only grow.
Which path we take depends entirely on our approach.
So, the real question is: Will you fight the structure, or will you keep fighting the problem?
If you are ready to break the cycle—ready to turn the very forces that created the problem into solutions—then welcome.
Welcome to the world of leverage interventions.
Welcome to the art of doing more with less.
But first, a story.
It’s called “The Healing Poison.”
Have you heard it?
Systems Thinking Research & Leadership Development Institute (STRLDi) 