Shifting Mindsets for Sustainable Futures

1. International Society for the Systems Sciences: Ecology & Sustainability The Psychology of Sustainability: Mental Models @ Work John Adams, Ph.D. Saybrook Graduate School July 12, 2006

2. Focuses • A Convergence of the Oracles • Mental Models and Sustainability • Generating New Frames

4. The Self Fulfilling Prophecy If we continue to believe as we have always believed, we will continue to act as we have always acted. If we continue to act as we have always acted, we will continue to get what we have always gotten. Marilyn Ferguson

5. Autopilot Nature of Mindset The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change, until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds. Ronald D. Laing

6. Red Blue Rose Daisy Chair Couch Hammer Apple

7. Green Rose Daisy Chair Couch Hammer Apple

8. Higher Order Thinking Required We cannot expect to be able to resolve any complex problem from within the same manner of thinking that created it in the first place. Albert Einstein

9. Six Mental Models Themes • Time Orientation • Responsiveness • Attention Range • Logic Basis • Problem Consideration • Life Focus

10. Six Common Dimensions of Thinking

11. Short Term – Long Term

12. Reactive – Creative

13. Local – Global

14. Separation – Systems

15. Accountability / Blaming – Learning

16. Doing / Having – Being / Becoming

17. Predominant Mental Models • Short Term • Reactive • Local / Parochial • Either / Or • Accountability & Blame • Doing / Having

18. World of money Economic growth Exploitation of nature Business Jobs Consumerism Land as asset Development Egocentric Machine Linear: either/or Urgency Takers Fault finding Doing / having ECONOMICS WORLDVIEW

19. The Frames • The Business of Business is Profits • Shareholder Return • Speed to Market

20. Probably No Better ! • Long Term • Creative • Global • Both / And (Systems) • Learning • Being

21. Frames That Undermine • Pie in the Sky • Ivory Tower • Flip Flop

22. Versatility (Appropriate Flexibility)Is Needed

23. World of nature Balance, limits Harmony with nature Ecosystems Environmental protection Ceiling on desires Land as life Conservation Ecocentric Organism Holistic: both/and Strategic Leavers Learning Being ECOLOGICAL WORLDVIEW

24. World of people Human rights Trust & cooperation Community Quality of life Aspiration New job creation Security Capability Self esteem Neighborhood / region Inclusiveness Diversity Justice & Equity Altruism SOCIETAL WORLDVIEW

25. The Frames • We’re All In This Together • Together We Can Do It • It’s A Small World After All

26. Integration Is Possible Only With Versatility

27. Frank Outlaw Watch your mindset, it becomes your thoughts. Watch your thoughts, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

28. Mark Twain “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.”

29. THANKS FOR BEING HERE!