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Agenda - What to Expect

Are you considering the Waters Center for Systems Thinking Credential Program? Here is what you can expect as part of this year-long opportunity to build your skills in systems thinking, coaching and facilitation.

Fill out the Application to apply to Cohort 12 (September 2026 - June 2027).
Applications for Cohort 12 will be accepted through August 10, 2026.

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The program consists of 14 Professional Learning Sessions. For each cohort, sessions are typically all scheduled on the same day of the week, 1-2 times per month and begin at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time / 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

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Cohort 12:
September 9, 2026

Professional Learning Session 1
3 Hours
Getting Started
  • Welcome
  • Introductions
  • Waters Center background
  • Overview of Systems Thinking
  • Introduction to Habits

    Cohort 12:
    September 30, 2026

    Professional Learning Session 2: Meet Your Learning Team + Coaching Introduction
    3 Hours
    Meet Your Learning Team
    • Get to know your coach and learning team
    Systems-Informed Coaching Introduction
    • Coaching vs. Advising/Directing
    • Creating a “Coaching System”

    Cohort 12:
    October 21, 2026

    Professional Learning Session 3: Creating Thinking Environments
    3 Hours
    Systems-Informed Coaching
    • Practices of Systems-Informed Coaching
    • Crafting systems-informed coaching questions
    • Using systems thinking tools to deepen conversations
    Facilitating Thinking Environments
    • Creating thinking environments for individuals and groups

    Cohort 12:
    November 18, 2026

    Professional Learning Session 4: Facilitating Group Systems Thinking and Conversations
    3 Hours
    Facilitating Powerful Thinking Experiences
    • Observe effective systems thinking facilitation in action
    • Identify strategies for selecting and using systems thinking tools to support group conversations
    • Design a systems thinking facilitation for your own context

      Cohort 12:
      December 9, 2026

      Professional Learning Session 5: Demo Facilitation Round 1
      3 Hours
      • Facilitate systems thinking using foundational systems thinking tools
      • Use coaching questions to guide deeper systems thinking
      • Strengthen your facilitation practice through reflection and feedback

        Cohort 12:
        January 13, 2027

        Professional Learning Session 6: Demo Facilitation Round 1, cont’d
        3 Hours
        • Demo facilitation and feedback
        • Debrief

          Cohort 12:
          February 3, 2027

          Professional Learning Session 7: Connection Circles and Causal Maps
          3 Hours
          From Causal Connections to Causal Loop Diagrams
          • Build causal loop diagrams from causal links and connection circles
          • Identify reinforcing and balancing feedback loops within systems
          • Use causal loop diagrams to deepen understanding of complex system behavior

            Cohort 12:
            February 24, 2027

            Professional Learning Session 8: Archetypes
            3 Hours
            Archetypes as a Facilitation Tool
            • Recognize common systems archetypes and the patterns they reveal
            • Apply systems archetypes to understand and prevent recurring challenges
            • Design an engaging learning experience to teach a systems archetype to others

              Cohort 12:
              March 17, 2027

              Professional Learning Session 9: Archetypes, cont’d
              3 Hours
              Archetypal Patterns in Complex Systems
              • Teach a systems archetype through an engaging facilitation experience
              • Learn to recognize and apply multiple systems archetypes
              • Use systems archetypes to identify patterns and inform action in complex systems

                Cohort 12:
                April 7, 2027

                Professional Learning Session 10: Stock Flow Maps
                3 Hours
                Thinking about Accumulations and Flows in Systems
                • Facilitate systems thinking conversations using stock-flow maps
                • Design questions that help others identify stocks, flows, and system dynamics
                • Use stock-flow maps to deepen understanding of how change occurs within complex systems

                  Cohort 12:
                  April 28, 2027

                  Professional Learning Session 11: Demo Facilitation Round 2
                  3 Hours
                  • Facilitate systems thinking using advanced systems thinking tools
                  • Use powerful questions to deepen systems thinking and collective insight
                  • Reflect on and strengthen your systems thinking facilitation practice through feedback

                    Cohort 12:
                    May 19, 2027

                    Professional Learning Session 12: Demo Facilitation Round 2, cont’d
                    3 Hours
                    • Demo facilitation and feedback
                    • Debrief

                      Cohort 12:
                      June 9, 2027

                      Professional Learning Session 13: Leading in Complex Systems
                      3 Hours
                      Being the Leaders our Systems Need
                      • Apply complexity principles to leadership challenges in your own context
                      • Explore leadership practices that enable learning, adaptation, and systems change
                      • Lead more effectively within complex systems, regardless of your role

                        Cohort 12:
                        June 30, 2027

                        Professional Learning Session 14: Close and Celebration
                        3 Hours
                        Celebration of Learning
                        • Open Space
                        • Celebration
                        • Closing