In complex systems, most interventions barely register. But a few — the right ones — can transform goals, mindsets, even the worldview a system runs on. These are called leverage points, and Donella Meadows ranked them from the most superficial to the most profound.
In our Regenerative Possibility Chains framework, leverage points are the quiet power moves: the moments where small, well-placed shifts unlock massive systemic change.
Leverage points become easiest to spot when a system is under pressure — when its usual structures, rules, and feedback loops are strained or breaking. That’s why we use rupture zones—places where converging pressures threaten to destabilize whole systems—as a testing ground. In these moments, a precise intervention can redirect the system entirely.
Before we break down Meadows’ full list, let’s start with one rupture zone that’s unfolding in real time — and see how different leverage points can shape the future it becomes.
Climate–Migration–Polarization Cascade
Temporary shelters, tent cities, and processing sites are multiplying — from wildfire evacuees to flood-displaced families, from border encampments to long-term settlements far from home. Policy responses split: some expand enforcement capacity, deepen surveillance, and frame human movement as a threat; others push for climate-resilient infrastructure, planned relocation, and legal protection for displaced people.
The outcomes will hinge on where the leverage is applied:
Shallow: Build bigger border walls (#12 – Constants, parameters, numbers)
Deep: Legally recognize climate-displaced people and protect their right to stay or return (#5 – Rules of the system)
Deeper: Reframe human movement as adaptation, not failure — and migration policy as a tool for shared resilience (#2 – Mindset/paradigm)
Before we explore other rupture zones, here’s the full range of leverage points Meadows identified — ranked from the shallowest (least transformative) to the most profound (most transformative):
Meadows’ 12 Leverage Points (Ranked)
(from highest to lowest leverage for systemic change)
Transcend paradigms – Step outside any single worldview; choose and shift paradigms consciously.
Shift mindsets/paradigms – Reframe the deep assumptions, beliefs, and values shaping the system.
Redefine goals – Change the system’s core purpose or what it optimizes for.
Reconfigure system structure – Redesign how the parts and relationships fit together.
Change the rules – Alter the laws, norms, or protocols governing behavior.
Rewire information flows – Adjust who gets what information, when, and how.
Amplify positive feedback loops – Strengthen reinforcing cycles that accelerate change.
Strengthen negative feedback loops – Enhance balancing cycles that maintain stability.
Shorten delays – Reduce the time between action and feedback.
Restructure stocks & flows – Rearrange physical resources and how they move.
Increase or reduce buffers – Adjust reserves to absorb shocks or fluctuations.
Adjust constants, parameters, numbers – Change measurable settings, limits, or thresholds.
Here are two more rupture zones and the use of leverage points.
AI Displacement Loop
Automation tears through industries. Headlines promise reskilling, but programs are short-term band-aids. Without deeper change, economic dislocation accelerates social fragmentation.
Shallow: Offer short-term job retraining subsidies (#12 – Constants, parameters, numbers)
Deep: Redesign platform governance so gig workers hold equity (#4 – Power to change system structure)
Deeper: Shift the goal from productivity to meaningful livelihoods (#3 – Goals of the system)
Collapse of Democratic Legitimacy
The scaffolding of democracy is under stress. Freedom of the press shrinks. Judicial independence erodes. Checks and balances are bypassed. Educational and legal systems face political capture. As legitimacy drains away, polarization hardens and the ability to solve collective problems collapses.
Shallow: Launch civics awareness campaigns (#12 – Constants, parameters, numbers)
Deep: Strengthen protections for judicial independence, press freedom, and academic autonomy (#5 – Rules of the system)
Deeper: Redefine democracy as a living practice of shared stewardship and distributed power (#3 – Goals of the system)
How to Work With Leverage Points
Map the System’s Logic — Identify loops, incentives, and mental models.
Aim Deeper When You Can — Go beyond parameters to rules, goals, or paradigms.
Pair Depth with Tangibility — Support paradigm change with visible products, policies, or practices.
Time it Right — Deep shifts often need hinge moments to take hold.
Listen for System Response — Adjust as feedback comes in.
Common Pitfalls
Pitfall & How to Avoid:
Over-focusing on shallow tweaks - Ask: “What is this system optimizing for?”
Ignoring narrative & culture - Deep leverage needs story + legitimacy
Treating paradigm change as abstract - Make it tangible through lived practice
Using leverage to tighten control - Leverage should open emergence, not close it
Regenerative Design Tips
Deep leverage = slow magic — seed early, tend patiently.
Bundle tools — combine with constraints, attractors, and infrastructure.
Make new goals measurable & meaningful — track ecological vitality, community trust.
Build legitimacy first — deep shifts require followership.
Narrative is the delivery system — mindsets move faster through story than logic.
Reflection Questions
What feedback loops or goals are reinforcing collapse in your system?
Where could an information flow or rule shift direction?
What visible action could you pair with a deep leverage point?
If you could rewrite your system’s goal, what would it serve instead?
If you’re ready to work at the deeper layers of systemic change — and to integrate leverage points with attractors, infrastructure, and constraints —
Vote for our SXSW session: A “What Now?” Workshop: Shaping a Regenerative Future (Aug 5–27)
Click the ❤️ next to the session title to vote.
Let’s shape the future — together.
More on Regenerative Futures
If you’re interested in exploring how to respond to systemic stress, not with collapse or control—but with coherence, you might also find value in:
Full Regenerative Possibility Chain Article Series: Read on Medium