Power and influence: developing a political archetype at an Australasian systems workshop

Systems archetypes are effective in communicating complex behaviour with relatively simple structures across a wide range of topics. The power dynamics between divergent points of view is critically important in decision-making when it comes to formulation and implementation of policies. This topic was explored at a four-day Australasian systems workshop run in New Zealand. A synthesis approach was combined with using rigorous analytical procedures from system dynamics. Building n Rahns Fear and Greed political archetype, a conceptual Power and Influence political archetype was developed, structurally similar to Wolstenholmes underachievement archetype based on Senges systems archetypes. This political archetype was used to analyse a crowdfunding story in New Zealand. Insights include how the Power and Influence political archetype can be used to help understand switching behaviour related to power dynamics over time.