I received some direct questions from leaders regarding “how” they fix their service.  Systems thinking can not be learned by sitting in your office.  It is learned by doing . . . it is only by doing that you can unlearn command and control thinking.  Leaders need to find out for themselves that the current management paradigms around design and management of work are flawed.  This is one reason I have limited classroom training.  I respect training, but not when it comes to changing thinking.  Training is usually absorbed in a way that lets us “fit” things into our current paradigm.  Leaders recognize words like flow, process, value, demand, measures, but only in light of what they currently do.  Leaders have to be shown there are better measures and that the current measures do not help them improve.  Training and presentations on systems thinking only leads managers to argue, defend, rationalize or anything else to maintain the status quo . . .it is only natural.

Only by personal inspection of the work can a leader find new ways to improve their system.  And only with engagement in the work can a leader get a reliable view of what is currently done and the consequences of the work.  So improvement of service cycle begins with “check” or gaining a better ystems thinking perspective to achieve knowledge.

My partners in the UK often find that clients want a presentation to get buy-in as a requirement for change to happen.  Their findings are that inclusion is often detrimental to the intervention because of misunderstandings or offer opportunities for the masses to entrench themselves based on imperfect knowledge.  The word change emits fear and myths around.  “No targets” to them means “no measures” which is not the message.  Or that if the system is attributable to 95% of performance and only 5% to an individual.  Leaders tend to think people aren’t important, when what is being said is the leaders are responsible for the system.  All misunderstandings and interpretations are barriers to learning.

Important questions for leaders (from Freedom from Command and Control) to consider:

  • “Do you want to lead an organization where the people who do the work control and improve the work? . . . This is to give up your conception of management.”
  • Are you prepared to change your role?  Could you conceptualize you work as ‘working on the system’?  Are you prepared to find out just how different this is from what you might currently do?”
  • “Are you prepared to do these things when those above you might not understand or condone it?  When those above dictate the numbers to be obtained, they undermine the ability of the organization to achieve them.  Are you prepared to take on this tension as you investigate better measures?”
  • “And would you want to be the carrier of the news when you find it?”

If the answer is yes to all, you are prepared to begin “check” and learn by doing.  As you learn . . . it will be painful.  This is not a traditional leadership development program or traditional leadership strategy.  This is ONLY for those that are curious (you will need it to sustain), tough (mentally) and ready to learn a better way.  You may begin by doing a health check (or check out “Our Services” at the top of the blog). As with all services provided by Bryce Harrison . . . we guarantee our work.

Tripp Babbitt is a speaker, blogger and consultant to service industry (private and public).  His organization helps executives find a better way to make the work work.  Download free from www.newsystemsthinking.com “Understanding Your Organization as a System” and gain knowledge of systems thinking or contact us about our intervention services at info@newsystemsthinking.com.  Reach him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TriBabbitt or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/trippbabbitt.