“Wholly Frame of Reference, Batman!”
In business as in life, we tend to look upon frustrating issues in isolation of their original source. When a problem or issue is experienced, once or repeatedly, it is oftentimes dealt with independent of that which has actually caused it to occur. This process likely ensures the problem will have a nice long run of creating havoc over and over again. It may show up wearing a new set of clothes, but trust me, it’ll be connected to the same root cause.
That type of thinking and (re)acting are versions of really old thought and behavior processes.
What began as a great way to respond to and hopefully survive saber-toothed tigers in the wild…”Tiger!!! Run!!!”…can often hamstring us in our more modern world. Add to that the parade of distractions technology has unleashed, and you have the perfect storm. A storm seeming to produce a need for the quick, the immediate and the impulsive.
Our finely crafted ability to sort and compartmentalize has over time become a liability.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great skill to have in certain situations…just not all situations. In fact, it’s a skill that could use a wise, new colleague. This new colleague would quickly assess whether compartmentalizing and immediacy make good sense, as with the tiger, or whether a broader, deeper overview is warranted.
The good news is that four-legged ‘lions and tigers and bears’ are not allowed into most workplaces. However, some two-legged forms do occasionally find their way in. That said, we rarely experience life-threatening, emergency situations at work. Yes, computer’s crash and manufacturing lines gum up, but most of the time there is an opportunity to cultivate a deeper understanding of the issue, as well as identifying a remedy more mindful of the root cause. In essence, to step into a more whole-system approach to the dilemma.
Whole system, source-oriented thinking is a more evolved way of thinking.
It introduces a different type of lens and focus to the process. It initiates a deeper exploration and allows for the additional time required. Like many aspects of business, which prove difficult to accurately calculate from a cost standpoint—the effects of disengagement, diminished productivity, lack of commitment, reduced workplace appeal—there are real costs associated with compartmentalized fixes. Making the choice to examine existing problems more wholly and with an eye to cause may take more time initially, but the gain will be found in the sustainability of the solution.
Start seeing your company from a ‘whole’ new perspective. Become aware of how the parts impact the bottom line.
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