Both diagramming of effects and measurement modeling are different from causal models in that they do not require temporal asymmetry between cause and effect. Systems thinking can be used for risk management of oppositions and conflicting operations. Alternatively, and Open Space event can provide a grounded plan where stakeholders have participated in creating the plan, which increases likelihood of follow-through on plans.
When using systems thinking for oppositions, we can use the first three steps as described in systems thinking to make an organizational map. With the list of benefits and dangers per intervention possibility, a quick focus and determination becomes possible.
The created map can help finding existing stakeholder agreements, creating more explicit agreements, testing agreements, re-doing agreements if required, implementing changes, support diagramming of effects to discover more of what's happening in the landscape, and move that visionary landscape into dreaming for doing some scenario planning forward to get to a healthy “anticipating state”, after which we can move forward in more agile and nimble ways.
What if its not as simple as managing risks of an opposition?
For example, what if we experience tuggings like “I/we must find ways to manage risk in daily operations"?
To properly monitor operational risk, we consider the entire scope of the community activity, including every transaction. Intent of this strategy is to minimize the required amount of energy spent and maximize impact.
In these instances, we can adapt the systems thinking choreography easily to fit by:
Facilitation: Use each side to motivate the need for an integrated ability to respond: now that you know how to monitor operational risks you can minimize effort and more safely maximize your impact.