Why Systems Matter in Coaching (and Life)

Understanding your context is the first step to lasting change.

When I started digging into system theories for my master’s thesis on innovation, I didn’t expect it to connect so deeply with my coaching practice — and my own life.

But the more I read, the more I saw it

You can’t shift something sustainably unless you understand the system it lives in.

As humans, we’re wired to jump straight into problem-solving:

What’s not working? How do I fix it? 💪🏻

But real change — whether in a person, a team, or an organization — doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in systems. And if you don’t see the system clearly, you're likely to repeat the same patterns, over and over.

What Is Systemic Coaching?

Systemic coaching is an approach that looks beyond the individual. It explores the interactions, patterns, structures, and contexts around a person — their relationships, culture, work environment, values, and unspoken rules.

Rather than treating behaviors or blocks as personal “flaws,” systemic coaching asks:

• What system is this behavior part of?

• What roles are being played here?

• What’s being protected or maintained — even unconsciously?

  
  

It’s not just about changing the person. It’s about shifting the system they operate in — or helping them relate to it in new, more empowered ways.

My Personal Experience: Moving Systems

One of my biggest personal system shifts happened when I moved from Germany to the US.

Suddenly, I was organizing everything myself:Finding an apartment (in walkable Downtown, of course), getting cars, learning to live and work in another language.

Before, I believed that big decisions weren’t for me — that someone else should take the lead. But the system around me had shaped that belief.

In the new environment, with more freedom and less history, I realized I could handle big decisions — and actually enjoyed the challenge. A whole new version of myself started to emerge.

That’s the power of systems:

They shape our behavior — and sometimes we don’t see what’s possible until we step into a new one.

Why It Matters at Work (and in Coaching)

In organizational contexts, we often focus on outputs: project delivery, performance, innovation.

But we rarely ask:

• What system is this team working within?

• Is the structure designed for collaboration, or competition?

• Are there unspoken dynamics that block new ideas?

  
  

Innovation doesn’t thrive in systems built on fear, control, or unclear roles.It thrives in systems with trust, space, and psychological safety.

As a systemic coach, I help clients zoom out: To see how their personal challenges — or their team dynamics — are influenced by the systems they’re in. Sometimes the shift needed isn’t internal, but structural.

A Real-Life System Shift: Marathon Training

When I trained for my first marathon, I had a clear plan — until the pandemic postponed the race into summer. My training fell apart.

What changed?Not me — but the system around me. The rhythm, the timeline, the momentum. I couldn’t get back into the flow.

But on race day, everything shifted again.Being surrounded by runners, hearing strangers cheer me on — that new system gave me energy I couldn’t access alone. I ran the whole thing.

Now imagine the opposite:Trying to run a marathon where everyone around you is telling you to stop. That’s what it feels like to try and grow or lead in the wrong system.

My first marathon (and hopefully not my last one)

What System Are You In?

When I coach clients, I always want to understand:

• What system are you operating in?

• Who supports or limits your growth?

• What unconscious rules or roles are you playing?

• What new system would help you thrive?

  
  

And most importantly:

What’s yours — and what’s not?

We all carry internal “maps” shaped by our past systems. Recognizing your own map — and separating it from inherited beliefs — is the first step toward conscious choice.

In Closing: Change the Lens, Change the Game

Whether you’re trying to innovate at work, run your first marathon, or simply feel more aligned in your life — don’t just look at the “problem.”

Look at the system.

Because often, the question isn’t: What’s wrong with me?

It’s: What system am I in — and is it built for the person I’m becoming?

Find Your Wave,

Sarah 🌊