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The systems thinking tools push us (the user) to look at issues through different lenses, broadening perspective, and thus expanding the opportunity for discussion and learning. By broadening our perspectives we are then able to identify more of these leverage points and brainstorm more ideas for action/solutions.
I think too that if more of us were to use more systems thinking tools in class we would, in turn, get more ideas of issues to explore and possible cross-disciplinary work from the student’s responses. This would then create a positive feedback loop (more system thinking means more systems understanding which leads to even more systems thinking and so on). It kind of goes back to an earlier point that Kevin made in a previous forum; systems thinking tools, especially if used in collaboration, can reveal some of our ignorance, and then that ignorance can instigate a desire to learn. (Thank Kevin for making that point and sharing the Ted talk).