Systems Thinking Alliance, Wickham James Strategies & Solutions, and Systemic Excellence Global have announced the establishment of The Systems Thinking Lab®, a collaborative initiative created to help leaders and practitioners apply systems thinking to complex, real-world challenges. The Lab brings together three organizations with shared experience in training, strategy, and organizational transformation. Its first major in-person event, a hands-on Systems Thinking workshop, will take place in Kansas City, Missouri, in Fall 2026 for invited participants.
The Lab begins with an experiential narrative drawn from the mayoral tenure of Sylvester (Sly) James in Kansas City from 2011 to 2019. The story illustrates how a systems thinking approach helped awaken a post-Great Recession city and kick-start a transformation journey that continues to shape Kansas City today. That account anchors a broader three-part initiative: the narrative itself, a challenge that invites systems thinkers to propose solutions to a simulated city, and the hands-on workshop experience.
The initiative responds to a clear need. Leaders today face interconnected challenges that cannot be solved through siloed, reductionist thinking. The Systems Thinking Lab® is designed to help participants strengthen systems awareness, recognize interdependencies, identify leverage points, and improve collaboration across organizational boundaries. The goal is to support more sustainable, adaptive decisions—and to help leaders move from insight to meaningful action.
The Fall 2026 workshop will give invited participants a practical, experiential setting to test these ideas. Rather than presenting theory alone, the session will demonstrate how systems thinking methods can be applied to the kinds of complex, layered problems that leaders encounter every day.
“The Systems Thinking Lab® is a practical, collaborative space where leaders can build real systems thinking capability, not just understand it in theory,” said Aleem Khan, Director, Training & Consulting at Systems Thinking Alliance. “Our shared aim is simple: help people see the whole, work across boundaries, and translate insight into meaningful action.“
The three founding organizations bring complementary strengths to the initiative, combining systems thinking education, public affairs and leadership experience, and organizational transformation expertise.
About Systems Thinking Alliance
Systems Thinking Alliance is a global organization supporting practitioners and organizations who explore and apply systems thinking principles, practices, and methods to make the world more humane and sustainable. Through expert training, coaching, and consulting, the organization empowers leaders and teams to navigate complex challenges effectively. Its vision is a future where systems thinking is universally embraced, transforming chaos into order and fostering a culture of continuous learning and community engagement.
About Wickham James Strategies & Solutions
Wickham James Strategies & Solutions helps clients turn complexity into clarity. With decades of combined experience, the team offers consulting, public relations and crisis communications, political strategy and advocacy, government relations, mediation, and leadership development—serving as a trusted advisor from vision to action.
About Systemic Excellence Global
Systemic Excellence Global is dedicated to empowering people and organizations to thrive. By focusing on the people, processes, and technology involved in any change initiative, the organization drives systemic improvement and lasting organizational transformation through its TRUE Change® approach.
