What started me on this journey is largely based on my own experience, but through the lens of Donella H. Meadows and her book Thinking in Systems. While reading her book, I started thinking about inputs and outputs, the flow of systems, and how that applied to my situation.
I realized fairly quickly that systems thinking can be applied to everything, from ecosystems to corporate incentives. I also realized that most systems are just part of larger, more complex systems, and that understanding them was the key to unlocking …something. I’m still not quite sure what.
One other thing I was sure of was that the the system I was operating in was made up of people, and that in and of itself was going to be problematic and glorious all at the same time. People, by nature, are messy. They have different backgrounds, opinions, and preferences. They become sick, pregnant, or disenchanted with their situations. They get tired, angry, hangry (in my case), and sometimes downright obstinate. They are also brilliant. They are hopeful, collaborative, helpful, and endearing. They have amazing ideas and make connections that no AI model ever could. So, I resolved to recognize that and take the bad with the good. Not just let people be people, but expect them to be people. Give them grace. Let them breathe.
Daniel H. Pink (Drive) would say to create conditions for them to have autonomy, mastery, and purpose in order to unlock their intrinsic motivations. I don’t disagree with that, but I also think we need to give them grace. I know that I certainly want grace when I show up in less-than-perfect condition.
So there’s my thesis for my 2nd post: Always remember that the System is made up of people. If it’s not made up of people, it’s probably much easier to manage, but not nearly as interesting, and certainly doesn’t have the potential to grow and learn in the same way.
I will explore a little bit more on this later.
Onward.
Tristan