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Do people in your organization demonstrate systemic thinking to ensure optimum performance in your system? What is systems thinking? It is stepping back and looking at the big picture. It is NOT looking at one component or one element individually. Everything has a "system" by which it operates. This not only includes machines like our cars, and our bodies, but also traffic, families, businesses, schools, nature, and cities. One of the smartest things anyone can do, if you want any system to work at optimum performance, is to make sure all components of any particular system are in sync and operating as smoothly as possible. We understand that our car won't run unless everything works and that our "good health" is determined by the body as a whole, not just some parts doing well. What is a System? A system is a set of elements and components interacting with one another within specified boundaries to produce an output or result. All elements and components combine to produce a common result. Examples include our digestive system, our car's system, or our heating system in our home. If one element or component in the system were omitted or malfunctioned, the system would not perform at an optimum level and would not produce the intended overall result. If the system is not working correctly, you can increase the probability of making an accurate improving the system by diagnosing the system to ensure all required elements and components are functioning properly. Organizations should not fixate on a single system element or component but instead look at all the elements and components combined in an integrated entity. Human performance systems are made up of numerous elements including expectations, workers, managers, tasks, tools, environment, culture, and feedback. In optimum performing systems all elements and components work together to produce valued accomplishments. If the system is not working properly, organizations should simply go in and add elements without systemic analysis and systematically designing interventions. If one element is lacking or incompatible with other elements, it can decrease efficiently or even destroy the entire system. The overall result can be diminished or ruined. Organizations cannot maximize one part of the system and the entire system simultaneously. Any change to one part requires readjustments throughout the whole system. Organizations should not decide to drop an element into the system before determining its overall appropriateness and potential impact. It will distort the system. Solution; Use Organization Alignment and Front-End Analysis to analyze the system. Identify all elements and their functions, determine the general problem and root cause and then design the appropriate intervention(s) to ensure that all elements and components are present and working together with a smooth flow.. For any questions, comments, concerns, work requests, or to schedule in-house workshops please send email to: doug@dougmead.com, |
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