Our own experience
Imagine six blind men encountering an elephant for the first time. One grasps its trunk and declares it a snake. Another feels its tusk and insists it's a spear. A third touches its ear and describes a fan. Each believes they understand the truth—yet none of them see the full picture.
This parable illustrates the challenge of tackling complex social and environmental problems like climate change, food security, habitat degradation, etc. When funders and non-profits focus on a single piece—whether it’s policy change, direct services, or market interventions—they risk missing the bigger forces at play.
is rarely the whole truth
Systems Thinking
Real change happens when we start seeing the whole elephant
Case Study:
A Systems Approach to Sustainable Fisheries Management
The Challenge
A non-profit had been working for several years in a small-scale fishery, implementing interventions such as alternative livelihoods, improved fishing gear, and community-led sea surveillance for no-take zones in marine protected areas. However, they recognized that these efforts alone were not addressing the deeper, systemic drivers of unsustainable fishing, especially in the face of climate change. At the same time, leadership saw the need to strengthen collaboration across internal teams and external partners to create a more integrated and effective approach to fisheries management.
Our Systems Approach
A guiding star was co-developed: healthy, resilient nearshore small-scale fisheries that sustain marine ecosystems while benefiting local communities. Through workshops and stakeholder interviews, the team created a systems map that revealed previously unseen interconnections in climate impacts to fisheries co-management, marine protected area management, governance capacity and more. Social arts approaches further uncovered hidden stakeholder dynamics, offering critical insights for shifting paradigms within the system.
At The Shoal Co., we build on these proven methods to help funders and non-profits craft strategies that tackle wicked problems from all angles. Through our services, we integrate diverse perspectives and look beyond surface-level challenges, helping organizations move from isolated efforts to transformational impact.
Not sure if a systems approach is the right fit for your team or organisation?
Take our FREE 3-minute Systems Readiness Check — a quick, insightful survey designed to help you understand whether systems thinking is likely to be a useful approach for you right now.