In Your Organization, Build a Flock Not a Clock.
Thanks Mark McGrath for producing this wonderful video with your son! That's why we named our book on adaptive organizations, "Flock, Not Clock"—becau…
The Cabrera Lab Blog
Lab Notes
Part of our research mission is making the science of systems thinking available to everyone. The blog and the Cabrera Lab Podcast are where we share it. Views here are our own, not those of our partners or of Cornell University.
All postsDSRP 21Distinction (D) Identity-Other 8Systems (S) Part-Whole 2Relationships (R) Action-Reaction 5Perspectives (P) Point-View 1DSRP Dynamics 2Systems Thinking 21Mental Models 10VMCL 22Culture 1CAS 5Cognitive Jigs 10Sliders 7Systems Mapping 1Everyday DSRP 3Getting Started 2Learning Systems Thinking 1Education 2Types of Thinking 1News 3
New Peer-Reviewed Publication - The “Fish Tank” Experiments: Metacognitive Awareness of DSRP Significantly Increases Cognitive Complexity
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 4, 2022 — Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera, along with Elena Cabrera, of Cabrera Research Lab and Cornell University have publ…
Everything is Not Connected.
Everything is not connected, thankfully. One thing I learned from studying network theory with some of the most remarkable people in the field was tha…
Dr. Derek Cabrera speaks to the Swedish Defense University
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2022 — Dr. Derek Cabrera, of Cabrera Research Lab and Cornell University gave a lecture to the Department of Leaders…
Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera guests on popular business podcast
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2022 — Drs. Laura and Derek Cabrera, of Cabrera Research Lab and Cornell University were guests of Hunter Hasting's …
The Systems Thinking Loop
The " Systems Thinking Loop " (or " ST Loop ") is where the rubber meets the road for systems thinkers. It is perhaps the most important of all the im…
Making distinctions is like painting a room. It's the boundaries that need the most attention.
My parents hired a professional to paint our garage every couple years. As a curious kid, I would pepper him with questions. "How do you get it smooth…
The Power of Wow
Excerpt from the book, Flock Not Clock. The Power of Sharing Mental Models: Wow Stories "I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal exper…
Context is the Enemy
Another System Thinking trope that gets my dander up. Not because it's ill intentioned but because so many well-intentioned people do it. In discussio…
ANZSYS presents Systems Thinking in Daily Life with Dr. Derek Cabrera of Cornell University
The Australia and New Zealand Systems Society presents Systems Thinking in Daily Life with Dr. Derek Cabrera of Cornell University. In his upcoming ta…
Want to get good at Systems Thinking? Do these 5 things...
The "Systems Thinking/ DSRP Loop" (below) captures Systems Thinking in a nutshell. The Loop helps us by understanding the simple rules for the organiz…
Two Laws of Knowledge
In 1900, 8 out 10 jobs involved work with one’s hands. Today, the statistic has flipped—8 out of 10 jobs involved working with ideas (with emphasis on…