The Cabrera Lab Podcast

#129: Stop Putting Out Fires—Fix the System

Get 20% off any STSI course with code PATTERN20 — become a systems thinker today! In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University explore why the same problems keep showing up in organizations, relationships, and teams—even when they look different on the surface. They break down the difference between an instantiation and a pattern, showing how people often get stuck solving individual conflicts, communication breakdowns, or “fires” without seeing the deeper structural issue that keeps producing them. Using systems thinking, metaphors, analogies, fractals, and shared mental models, they explain why repeated problems are usually not separate problems at all—they are manifestations of the same underlying system. The conversation also explores why culture is the real unit of analysis in many organizational issues, how shared mental models help people coordinate even when they are not directly interacting, and why being “too busy” is often a sign that you are stuck at the symptom level. If you’ve ever felt like you’re dealing with the same issue over and over again, this episode gives you a systems thinking lens for finding the pattern—and changing the structure that keeps recreating it.

Episode #128: What I Wish I Knew as a Neurodivergent Kid

Get 20% off any STSI course with code NEURO20 — become a systems thinker today! In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University explore neurodivergence through a systems thinking lens. Derek reflects on what it means to understand your own mind, why neurodivergence itself is not the problem, and how friction often comes from living inside systems designed around the neurotypical norm. They discuss structure, self-knowledge, masking, passive aggression, focus, hyperfocus, and why learning how your brain works can be a powerful “cheat code” for navigating school, work, relationships, and life. The conversation also explores what neurodivergent kids need to hear early: that they are different, not defective—and that the goal is not to become “normal,” but to understand themselves, play their own hand, and build a life around who they actually are. If you’ve ever felt like your brain works differently, or you care about someone who does, this episode offers a grounded and empowering systems thinking framework for understanding neurodivergence, self-awareness, and human difference.

#127: How to Make Invisible Thinking Visible

Get 20% off any STSI course with code OOT20 — become a systems thinker today! In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University explain the power of OOTing: object-oriented thinking. They explore why getting ideas out of your head and into visible, movable objects—whether blocks, drawings, sticky notes, whiteboards, or even visual objects in your mind—can dramatically improve thinking, communication, and understanding. By making mental models visible, OOTing helps people stop conflating parts with wholes, see relationships more clearly, and build shared meaning with others. The conversation also breaks down why ordinary meetings often fail: people share information, but not the structure of their thinking. OOTing changes that by helping teams build a shared mental model in real time, reducing confusion and improving execution. If you want to think more clearly, communicate better, and get people truly on the same page, this episode gives you a practical systems thinking tool for making invisible ideas visible.

#126: How to Stop Misalignment Before It Starts

Get 20% off any STSI course with code ISISNOT20 — become a systems thinker today! In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University break down one of the simplest and most powerful systems thinking tools: the Is/Is Not List. They explain why this move is not just about making a list, but about building a strong distinction—one that clarifies what something fundamentally is, what it is not, and where the boundary really belongs. From leadership and management to safety, AI, systems thinking, and even the classic “is a hot dog a sandwich?” debate, they show how unclear distinctions create confusion, misalignment, and downstream problems. The conversation also explores the difference between an Is/Is Not List and a Zoom In, how to test a distinction using the “always/never” rule, and why shared definitions are essential for teams, organizations, and everyday life. If you want to think more clearly, communicate more precisely, and prevent costly misunderstandings before they happen, this episode gives you a practical tool for doing exactly that.

#125: Stop Holding Everything in Your Head

Get 20% off any STSI course with code LIST20 — become a systems thinker today! In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University explore one of the simplest but most powerful thinking tools we use every day: lists. They break down why lists are more than just a way to remember tasks—they are a systems thinking tool that helps us distinguish what matters, break overwhelming wholes into manageable parts, and create perspective on what actually needs to get done. From moving, parenting, schoolwork, and sleepless nights to shared family lists and the dopamine hit of checking things off, they show how lists help turn mental chaos into structure. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to keep everything in your head, this episode explains why getting it out of your mind and into a list can reduce stress, create clarity, and help you take action.