Systems Thinking

Shaun, "off the top of my head" here is a quick response from my studies.
Edward Deming, "Father of Total Quality Management (TQM)" emphasized "systems thinking."
We are part of systems, social, political, economic, environmental, etc.
What happens in one part of the system impacts other parts of the system.
Deming taught there are "special" causes and "system" causes. 
Statistically 90% of the time the system is in the "driver's seat," not the individual.
Another way to express this is to use the term "environment" as a synonym for "system."
As my Ph.D. chair taught, "The environment is all-powerful."
For example, if we are in the Arctic we need to wear warm clothing or perish.
Yes, it is common sense; too often we fail to perceive outcomes as the result of systems, environment in which we live. 
Or as they say in TQM, what occurs "upstream" impacts outcomes "downstream."
Take a child for example.  A trauma upstream for the child can lead to outcomes "downstream" for the child as an adult.
Take JIU as a system for example.  Its corporate culture, values system determines to a large extent how we behave in it.
Hopefully this is of help to you.

Dr. Rux