The Essentials of Theory U

6

Upgrading Society’s Operating System

When I talk to change makers, they all quickly agree on one thing. Even if their change initiative is wildly successful, the impact of their initiatives sooner or later hits a wall—the wall of the larger system.

Everyone understands that we will not overcome the challenges that we face today—the loss of our environment (to the ecological divide), of our society (to the social divide), and of our humanity (to the cultural-spiritual divide)—by adding one more initiative or idea to the mix.

To address these challenges, we need to step back and look at the bigger system. We need to update the mental and structural operating code. To use the language of smartphones, instead of just creating another app, we need ...