Practical Systems Thinking Steps to Fix Broken Governance

Hello friends!
This is the 6th and final post in the systems thinking series. Today I’ll share three practical ideas for fixing broken blockchain governance using lessons from systems thinking:

Expose Mental Models
It’s easy to think governance is just rules and structure, but it’s also about what we believe, about power, fairness, and who gets a say. These assumptions shape everything. If we don’t question them, we just keep fixing the surface instead of the real problem.

Use Information Flows
A system without clear information is basically blind. Transparency isn’t optional, it’s what makes feedback possible in the first place. If we want governance to work better, we need to make sure the right information is easy to access and shows up on time.

Think of the Whole
If your system only works for the powerful or the loudest voices, it’s not working. Governance should include everyone. The goal is to build something where everyone matters and incentives are balanced across the board.

Takeaway
You don’t fix governance by just adding more rules. You fix it by seeing it as a living system. One that learns, improves, and grows through feedback and transparency. Otherwise, it just falls apart later.

This post wraps up the series. Huge thanks to Donella Meadows for her book Thinking in Systems, which inspired this whole thing.

Until the next hash, Abed