In a world where every decision has ever-increasing consequences, it is becoming clear that we need to change our perspective. For most of the industrial era, we have thought in terms of ego systems thinking. This means that we base our decisions on our own system, our own business, our own country or our own profit. But the world does not operate as isolated islands. Everything is interconnected.
Creating long-term success requires eco systems thinking, a way of thinking where the whole is more important than the individual part.
What is Ego Systems Thinking?
Ego systems thinking is about optimizing what is closest to us. It could be an organization trying to maximize its profits without considering the environment, a country that puts its short-term economic interests before global sustainability, or an individual who focuses on personal career success without seeing the impact it has on others.
This thinking often works in the short term. It is effective in a stable and simple world, but in a complex world it quickly becomes destructive. It’s like trying to win a game of chess by staring at your own king without seeing the board. You think you’re protecting something valuable but fail to realize that the whole game is about to be lost.
A classic example of ego systems thinking is overfishing. An individual fisherman may think it pays to take as much as possible from the sea. But when all fishermen think the same way, the sea empties. The short-term rational decision leads to long-term disaster.
What is Eco Systems Thinking?
Eco systems thinking is based on the understanding that all systems interact. A company affects its suppliers, its customers, its employees and the nature that provides the raw materials. A decision in one part of the system creates effects in other parts.
This way of thinking mimics nature. In an ecosystem, each species depends on others. Plants need bees for pollination, bees need flowers for food, and humans need both bees and plants to live. When one part of the system is weakened, all the others are affected.
Companies that apply eco systems thinking see their mission in a larger context. Patagonia, for example, has built its business model around protecting nature rather than exploiting it. The result is a loyal customer base, a strong culture, and a sustainable business. They have realized that financial success is a consequence of contributing to a healthy ecosystem, not the other way around.
When ego takes over
When ego systems thinking dominates, systems begin to collapse. It can be economic bubbles, climate crises, or societal polarization. All arise when parts of the system try to grow at the expense of the whole.
In organizations, this is seen as silo thinking. Each department tries to optimize its own results and blames others when the whole does not work. A sales organization I worked with illustrated this well. Salespeople pushed through large orders to meet their bonus goals. The production department did not have time to deliver on time, customer satisfaction plummeted, and costs increased. Everyone did their best, but the whole fell apart.
The same pattern exists on a global level. When countries compete for economic growth by exploiting cheap resources and labor in other regions, they undermine the global system on which they themselves depend. Ego systems thinking thus becomes self-contradictory. What seems to benefit the individual ultimately destroys the context in which the individual lives.
Nature is the master teacher
There are no ego systems in nature. Every organism is part of something larger. A tree does not grow just for its own sake. Through its roots and fungi, it communicates with other trees in the forest. If a tree receives too little nutrition, other trees can share through the mycorrhiza network in the soil.
If people could act more like trees, our societies would function better. We have the technology to create systems where resources are shared, where energy flows circularly, and where surpluses are used to strengthen the whole. But this requires a shift in perspective.
From me to us
Eco systems thinking is about going from me to us. This does not mean that the individual should disappear, but that the individual should understand their value as part of a larger context.
In a company, this can mean asking not only how to sell more, but how to create more value for the entire chain. In society, this means asking not only how to grow as a nation, but how to contribute to the health of the planet.
It may seem abstract, but in practice it is a question of design. How we design our processes, business models and decision-making paths determines which mindset is rewarded. An organization that measures everything in quarterly profits will naturally be driven by ego systems thinking. One that measures value creation in a social, ecological and economic perspective promotes eco systems thinking.
When the whole begins to be visible
The transition to eco systems thinking does not happen in a day. It is rather a mental evolution. But once it begins, new opportunities open up. Collaborations arise between actors who previously saw each other as competitors. Innovations arise that solve multiple problems at the same time, for example how sustainability and profitability can reinforce each other.
A clear example is the circular economy. By seeing waste as a resource, new business models are created where products have longer life cycles, and where cooperation between companies becomes the key. This is a pure expression of eco systems thinking in practice.
The way forward
To be able to think in ecosystems, we must learn to ask other questions. Not just “how much can I profit from this?” but “what positive effects can I create for the whole?”
Creativity becomes a central force here. Imagination is required to see connections that are not obvious, to understand how small decisions can create big effects.
It is only when we stop seeing the world as a machine and start seeing it as a garden that we can create truly sustainable development. A garden requires care, interaction and patience. It does not reward ego, but harmony.
A natural way forward
Ego systems thinking tries to win in the short term, but loses the whole. Eco systems thinking tries to build the whole, and wins in the long run. It is not just about the environment or business strategy, but about a fundamental way of seeing the world. When we understand that our success is always intertwined with that of others, we begin to think like nature does. And nature, despite all our attempts to control it, still has the best model for sustainable survival.
