Two texts on Systems Thinking:

Checkland, Peter (2001) Soft Systems Methodology, in: Jonathan Rosenhead and John Mingers (eds.), Rational Analysis for A Problematic World Revisited, Problem Structuring Methods for Complexity, Uncertainty and Conflict, Second Edition, Chichester: Wiley

Ulrich, Hans and Probst, Gilbert (1991) Anleitung zum Ganzheitlichen Denken und Handeln  Ein Brevier fuer Fuehrungskraefte („Guide To Integrated Thinking And Action – A Breviary for Leaders”) , Bern and Stuttgart: Haupt – (A must for every political leader. Book according to my knowledge so far  unfortunately not published in the English Language.)

On some of the major challenges and risks to our world:

Gore, Al (2013) The Future, Random House: New York and WH Allen:  London.

The key quote from the section on global warming: “This time, our world is at stake.” A book making the case for the urgency to  “steer” and to fix “the prevailing flaws and distortions in capitalism and self-governance”.

On concepts for improving the performance of our democratic policy making systems:

Berggruen, Nicolas and Gardels, Nathan (2013), Intelligent Governance for the 21st Century –  A Middle Way between West and East, Polity Press: Cambridge