We’ve already looked at a couple of tools with a systemic approach built into them. O.A.R. encourages thinking about “the objective behind the objective”. It also emphasises the need to provide resources in order to influence a situation. Both of these points have a...
I will finish this module with a true story – though I have changed a few details for the sake of the people involved. It shows clearly the difference that “thinking systemic” can make. The diagram shows me working as a CFE team leader in the field, physically remote...
Now let’s see how things could have been different with a systemic approach. Faced with the problems just described, I sketch the interactions between the parts of the situation. This reminds me that my leadership is mainly concerned with a handful of big accounts. In...
A machine isn’t working and an expert is summoned to fix it. After looking at it carefully, he takes out a hammer and gives the machine a light tap. The machine starts right up. Then the invoice arrives. A thousand dollars!! $5 for hitting the machine with a hammer....
In analytical mode, I break down the objective into subobjectives – as I do when breaking down a computer program into sub-functions. In systemic mode, I do quite the opposite. I ask the question “why?”, and look beyond the immediate objective to find the motivation...
