Why systems are important
I have come to think of many things as a system. A person is in many ways a system of their own experiences, decisions, capabilities and habits. A group is a system of the individuals and their goals, incentives, and personalities. A government is a system of parties and their political goals, constraints, and constituent views.
That is not to say that everything is a system, of course. There are many things in the arts which are not a system, and that is precisely what makes them an art; to express an individual flow with the circumstances. However, mastery of an art is personal, whereas mastery of a system can and has been passed down through generations; Monarchy, for example, is a system of governance which is inherently hereditary.
In some ways, this view helps me to look at the world through a more objective - and thus kinder - lens. It is easier to understand - and thus to address or even to forgive - wrongs done as a result of systemic problems. (I suppose this is also why Economics is an attractive way for STEM people to think about society)
On the flip side, this view also makes me very frustrated with standing systemic problems, because I understand them, I know what can be done to address them, but I do not see them being addressed. This makes me look less kindly on those who have the power to address problems, but do not.
On a personal level, I think systems are incredibly important. My life is, in many ways, run by systems which I have instilled in myself, which others have encouraged in me, or which are a matter of circumstance. From my daily devotions and exercise routine to maintain the condition of my body and soul, to the weekly martial arts training and bible study to do the same, to the public infrastructure and the people who maintain it, which allow me to do these without interruption.
You would think, following this argument, that systems are equally - if not more - important on an organizational level. But my experience tells me otherwise. It seems that most people intuitively understand when a system is broken, but do not understand why, and often wrongly attribute the problem as a result.
For example, let’s consider discipline in an organization. If, within the organization, there are a few people who are habitually late, this is clearly a problem.
Management - and even colleagues - often see this and know that the system is broken, but often the only reaction is to go straight to disciplinary warnings or actions to ‘fix’ that system. This is what I think of as ‘maintenance’ of the system; things wear and tear, and people go astray. If this is not arrested early, it can snowball into a much larger disciplinary issue.
However, I think we must consider the issue within a larger framework if we want to go beyond behavioral issues. You may demand with strong words that everyone should be punctual, and punish those who do not comply, but this will never create a high-performing organization. The reality is that high performance requires something more than adherence to simple behavioral rules.
We must then consider the systems of the organization; is there incentive for individuals to not only comply - which may be a cause for friction - but to also perform - which requires initiative and diligence - within the systems of the organization? This may be tied to things like promotions, benefits, enjoyment of the work done, and so on.
It becomes quite quickly obvious when an organization’s systems are part of the problem when you start to introspect, but in my observations, organizations seldom do so.
There are also the systems of the individual; it is no use demanding employees come in the middle of the night or skip lunch. Infrequent disruptions to an individual’s systems may be acceptable depending on the individual and their compensation, but by and large these have to align.
In my opinion, the problem begins when the systems of the Individual and the systems of the Organization do not align. This causes increased friction, which starts to tear the system apart.
As I continue to learn about, and develop skills in leadership, this is something I think about often, and I think it has been helpful to me in tempering both my perspective as well as my reactions to situations.