What happens when more than one person or more than one entity work together in the same direction? Is the result just the simple sum of their efforts? The answer to this question is yes, but… ONLY when the elements involved are independent of each other. In the theory of systems, the global “performance” of […]
Divisiveness: What Companies Can Do About It
Divisiveness is one of the most negative forces we face, whether it be at the level of individuals or nations. It is paradoxical that there is so much divisiveness in the world today when we have unprecedented technological means for connection. Polarization is increasing, creating an ever greater divide between the haves and have nots […]
Unintended Consequences Hurt: Summer Reading for Joined Up Thinking
Our lives today are filled with unprecedented levels of rapid change and complexity. Unintended consequences can quickly emerge from inadequate thinking, so we have an urgent need to learn to think in a “joined-up” way. The definition of ‘joined-up thinking” is: “thinking about a complicated problem in an intelligent way that includes all the important […]
Why Businesses Can Change the World (for the better)
People struggle to understand big systems, such as nations and alliances. It’s just too big and complicated (what better proof than U.K. citizens voting to leave the European Union.) So they try to break things down into simpler pieces and set up barriers (silos, fiefdoms, departments). Unfortunately, that just doesn’t work in today’s complex reality […]
What Happens in Europe This Week Affects You, Anywhere in the World (Brexit)
Whether you care or not about the UK staying in or exiting the European Union (EU), the result of this week’s referendum will affect you. Why? Firstly, because we live in a highly interdependent and therefore complex world and there will be a ripple effect into the global economy. Secondly, because it touches on a very […]
How To Overcome Resistance To Change – a Systemic Approach
Any time leaders try to introduce change into an organization they will be faced with the fear and conflicts of the people involved in the changes. In our series we’ve been talking specifically about digital transformation but it is true for any major shift. If these reactions and resistance to change are not managed they will […]
Digital Transformation and Systemic Change Management
Dr. W. Edwards Deming used to say: “The only thing that does not require maintenance is obsolescence”. This is a fundamental truth: if we do not evolve, we regress. What makes everything more complicated is the pace at which we must evolve to survive. Technology speeds everything up, including the world of technology. We’ve been looking at […]
Digitalization Needs Cooperation: Start Transforming the Enterprise for the Digital Future
Digitalization will inevitably lead organizations to shift their way of working in radical ways. For example, according to Gartner senior VP Dale Kutnick in a recent article, digitalization will require: business development; the IT department and the product management or engineering team – to work together at an unprecedented level of cooperation”. How can that […]
How CIOs Can Break Free of the Silo Prison with Systemic Management
What if there were a way to break free of the silo prison? What if we could build an organization where the best qualified could fully contribute and unleash their potential, where there was engagement, transparency, efficient communication and sharing of information? Well, there is. And CIOs are perfectly poised to change the music and spearhead the transformation. […]
How to Grow the Whole Organization: Processes, Projects and the CIO are Key
“With digital strategies increasingly taking center stage in many businesses, more CIOs are reporting to the CEO.” So begins an article in this week’s CIO.com newsletter. Let’s say it again: the role of IT and the role of the CIO are central to creating a shift in how organizations operate, compete and thrive in this […]
