Think Systems, not Symptoms

Designing processes can be tricky. Often, people create individual processes to solve specific problems. Running around plugging holes might feel effective in the moment, this piecemeal approach is counter productive.

When you focus only on individual problems, you risk creating a heavy and cumbersome process. Over time, these processes can feel authoritarian and arbitrary, leading to frustration and disengagement among your team. Instead, it’s crucial to adopt a systems thinking perspective.

Systems thinking helps solve complex problems by looking at how the components of a system interrelates. The systems thinker evaluates actions in context of all the other actions, activities that take place. To apply systems thinking to your policy creation instead of focusing on isolated incidents, consider the overall problems facing your business. Ask yourself:

• What outcomes are we trying to achieve?
• How can we create those outcomes effectively?
• What else will happen if we implement this policy?

By shifting your focus to the larger issues at hand, you can design processes that are not only efficient but also aligned with your business goals.

Evaluate the underlying causes of problems rather than just treating the symptoms. This way, you can create policies that genuinely add value and support your team, rather than constraining them.