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There are 3 modules in this course
In fast-changing business environments, success depends on your ability to navigate complexity, connect the dots across teams and functions, and align diverse stakeholder interests. That requires more than technical know-how—it requires a systems mindset.
This course equips business professionals with the tools and perspective to lead more effectively in complex situations. Whether you're working in strategy, operations, sustainability, or innovation, you’ll learn to see the bigger picture, identify root causes, and design solutions that create lasting value.
You’ll gain practical skills for engaging with internal teams, external partners, and communities—especially when working across organizational or sector boundaries. From initial requests for support to designing responsive project plans, this course helps you move from reaction to intention.
What You’ll Learn:
- Apply systems thinking to real-world business challenges and organizational goals.
- Identify patterns, relationships, and leverage points to solve complex problems.
- Build credibility and trust with stakeholders inside and outside your organization.
- Develop responsive, cross-functional strategies rooted in context and collaboration.
Learners build a foundation for systems thinking by exploring how parts of a system interact through feedback, inputs, outputs, and boundaries. The module introduces key terms and concepts such as scale, hierarchy, and emergent behavior. Learners examine how social and environmental systems are connected and begin to apply a systems mindset to understand landscapes, communities, and challenges more holistically.
What's included
8 videos2 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 71 minutes
Welcome to Developing a Systems Mindset•2 minutes
Introduction to Systems Mindsets•9 minutes
Systems Thinking•8 minutes
Defining a System•13 minutes
Defining Key Terms•13 minutes
Systems Mindset – Scale & Hierarchy•10 minutes
Systems Mindset – Social & Environmental Systems•10 minutes
Systems Mindset – Landscapes•7 minutes
2 readings•Total 16 minutes
Course Updates and Accessibility Support•1 minute
Consulting Is More Than Giving Advice•15 minutes
3 assignments•Total 30 minutes
Progress Quiz•5 minutes
Module 1 Reflection Question•10 minutes
Introduction to Systems Quiz•15 minutes
Operationalize Systems Thinking
Module 2•2 hours to complete
Module details
Learners begin to apply systems thinking in practical settings by reflecting on their own background, bias, and role in a team. The module introduces strategies for working across functions, communicating value, and managing early phases of a project. Through tools like project planning, meeting design, and value proposition development, learners gain confidence engaging stakeholders and leading with professionalism and purpose.
What's included
10 videos1 reading4 assignments
Show info about module content
10 videos•Total 84 minutes
Introduction to Operationalizing Systems Thinking•1 minute
Positionality and Bias•7 minutes
Getting to Team•8 minutes
Four Phases of Project Management•6 minutes
Who's on my Team?•5 minutes
Going from Ideas to Vision•8 minutes
Background Research•9 minutes
Presenting Yourself•15 minutes
Value Proposition•16 minutes
Making Meetings Count•9 minutes
1 reading•Total 15 minutes
Four Phases of a Project Proposal•15 minutes
4 assignments•Total 35 minutes
Reviewing Positionality and Bias•5 minutes
Reviewing Value Propositions•5 minutes
Module 2 Reflection Question•10 minutes
Operationalize Systems Thinking Quiz•15 minutes
Understanding a Community
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
Learners deepen their understanding of the communities they work with by observing culture, custom, and legacy. The module introduces stakeholder engagement strategies and tools to build a social and cultural profile. Learners also begin shaping their project through scoping, identifying resource needs, and developing team agreements and communication plans to support clear, thoughtful collaboration.
What's included
12 videos2 readings5 assignments
Show info about module content
12 videos•Total 101 minutes
Introduction to Understanding a Community•3 minutes
A Framework for Observation and Inquiry•11 minutes
Custom, Culture, and Legacy: Part 1•10 minutes
Custom, Culture, and Legacy: Part 2•10 minutes
Introduction to Stakeholder Engagement•13 minutes
Social and Cultural Profile•4 minutes
Creating a Project Scope•10 minutes
Project Resources•6 minutes
Team Contract and Communication Plan•11 minutes
Project Proposal•9 minutes
Developing New Economic Opportunities Through Offroad Tourism•10 minutes
Custom, Culture and Legacy in Colombia•6 minutes
2 readings•Total 13 minutes
Systems Mindset Case Studies•3 minutes
Further Readings•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 95 minutes
Reviewing Custom, Culture, and Legacy•30 minutes
Reviewing Project Proposals•5 minutes
Module 3 Reflection Question•10 minutes
Understanding a Community Quiz•10 minutes
Developing a Systems Mindset Final Assessment•40 minutes
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CU Boulder is a dynamic community of scholars and learners on one of the most spectacular college campuses in the country. As one of 34 U.S. public institutions in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), we have a proud tradition of academic excellence, with five Nobel laureates and more than 50 members of prestigious academic academies.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.