| Disability 4 - System what system? | | | | by what to do about last quarters sales, the latest |
| Think systems not events. | | | | product the competition has launched, how to finance |
| When we first came to this earth it was important | | | | the latest deal, etc. Each is an event that we think |
| to feed ourselves every day, not get eaten by the | | | | has a single solution. We seek single solutions for |
| local saber tooth tiger and, more importantly, grow | | | | single problems. We do not see how the latest |
| the population in leaps and bounds. Life was simple, | | | | product that the competition launched affects our |
| eat or be eaten. This only required the ability to | | | | sales. We do not see that bad employee relations |
| understand each separate event and have a means | | | | lead to a low morale which in turn affects design |
| to handle the event. Learn to hunt and enjoy | | | | quality and therefore the final product that we |
| ourselves. There was no need to appreciate the | | | | attempt to sell to our customers. |
| larger systems at work or be able to connect | | | | As long as we try to find one single reason for each |
| events. | | | | problem we will never get to the bottom of our |
| Life, however, has become more complex and our | | | | problems. As long as we fight fires, concentrate on |
| survival is now dependent on understanding gradual | | | | operations and ignore the big picture we will never |
| processes such as global warming, a slow decline in | | | | see any improvement in our business. |
| sales, a growing obesity problem in the US, a loss of | | | | Learning is never sustained within a business that has |
| market share. Each is caused by a complex array of | | | | managers focused on short term events. By focusing |
| systems and events that interact with each other | | | | on events managers, at best, become predictive so |
| causing even more complex outcomes and effects. | | | | as to react optimally. Most business and econometric |
| We know we cannot hope to keep track of all these | | | | models are developed in this manner. This however |
| events so we select a few that make sense and | | | | means that business really never learns to create, to |
| focus on them. Does business have it right? | | | | think holistically defining the systems in the business. |
| We usually choose to see our lives in terms of | | | | Concentrate on strategy, think in terms of systems. |
| events. Board meetings in companies are dominated | | | | Learn. |