Properties of Systems – Be Strategic

Systems Thinking…is finding patterns and relationships, and learning to reinforce or change these patterns to fulfill your vision and mission.

1. The Whole is Primary—The whole is primary and the parts are secondary. Focusing on maximizing the parts leads to suboptimizing the whole
2. Understand Systems Holistically in Their Environment—Systems, and organizations as systems, can only be understood holistically. Try to understand the system and its environment first. Organizations are open systems and, as such, are viable only in mutual interaction with and adaptation to the changing environment
3. Each System Functions Uniquely—Every system has properties/functions that none of its parts can do
4. System Purposes First—The place to start is with the whole and its purposes within its environment. The parts and their relationships evolve from this
5. The Role of Parts—Supports the Whole—Parts play their role in light of the purpose for which the whole exists. Focus on the desired outcomes; not just the problems of the parts
6. All Parts Are Interdependent—Parts, elements, subsystems are interdependent…a web of relationships. Therefore, yesterday’s great solutions may lead to today’s issues. Every system cannot be subdivided into independent parts; a system as a whole cannot function effectively when it loses a part
7. Small Changes Produce Big Results—Change in any element of a system effects the whole as well as the other elements, subsystems. The small changes can produce big results if the leverage points are clear
8. Maximizing Parts Suboptimizes the Whole—Exclusive focus on one element or subsystem without simultaneous attention to other subsystems leads to suboptimal results and new disturbances. The solution or simple cure can often be worse than the real disease
9. Causes and Effects Are Not Closely Related—Delay time and delayed reactions along with cause and effect being not closely related in time and space cause inaccurate diagnoses and solutions. Direct cause and effect is an environmentally free concept
10. Faster is Ultimately Slower—Systems have a natural pace to them. Sometimes trying to go faster is ultimately slower
11. Feedback and Boundaries—Systems are more “open” and likely to sustain their existence longer and more effectively, the more feedback they receive from the environment through all aspects of their boundaries
12. Multiple Goals—All social systems have multiple goals; building consensus on them first is the key to successful teamwork and achieving these goals
13. Equifinality and Flexibility—People can achieve their goals and outcomes in many different styles/ways—thus the CSM “strategic consistency — operational flexibility” concept of the ’90s
14. Hierarchy is Natural—Despite some recent political correctness against hierarchies, all systems have a natural hierarchy; find it, minimize it, and make it work for you
15. Entropy and Tendency to Run Down—All systems have a tendency towards maximum entropy, disorder and death. Importing resources from the environment is key to long-term viability, closed systems move toward this disorganization faster than open systems

So: A system cannot be understood by analysis—but by synthesis—looking at it as a whole within its environment

Thus: In organizations we don’t deal with problems—we deal with “messes of problems