The whole thing depends upon the interaction of changeable things, variables. When a thing is cast as a variable thing, useful questions are generated. The system almost reveals itself so long as every thing in the model is either a variable or a causal link.
There is some magic in what words you choose to change a static thing into a variable thing. Your world view will be revealed pretty quickly. And a groups view of the world can be transformed by the quality of the variables.
We often think of the world as static, as a place where things are unchangeable by us. This lack of agency takes away our hope. Variables restore our hope. CLDs give us agency when used correctly.