When systems are led by a good use of lead time, focus and communication, there is a savings with regard to money and time as well as an increase in goals met.
For example, if purchasing is done with a year-long lens, then systems and individuals can take advantage of sales and times of year when products are typically less expensive. When a few are in charge of this process, they can keep their focus on this topic and look for ways to save money and purchase with efficiency.
Similarly when efforts are targeted, individuals in charge can keep their eyes on the research, new inventions, and professional learning opportunities in order to grow and develop the target area. When there is not someone in charge it's likely that systems and individuals will lose sight of what's available and what's possible in those areas.
Further, good communication keeps the issues of importance on the minds of those for whom those issues matter. Issues and topics well communicated give people time to digest the information and embed those questions, efforts, and ideas into their own work. When ideas are only shared after the thought process is complete it's likely that the ideas won't take hold due to a lack of lead time, inclusive discussion and voice, and time to embed the ideas into practice.
Lead time, targeted efforts, and communication are all apart of good process, and the better we create and use good process in our own work and systematic work, the better our work will be. Recent reading leads me to think about this process as part of "living systems" rather than old time mechanistic systems. I like this and think it's a better fit for our fast moving world. Living systems work like rivers while mechanistic systems work like machines.
Systems like rivers are continually collecting and depositing ideas. These systems include a process of continual reflection and revision. These systems react to current needs.
To embrace living systems is to re-look at roles, time, schedules, and goals and see how we can make those more natural, responsive, and timely.
Good process, systems, role, and use of time allows individuals to do their work well since this approach creates greater flow and service.
There's lots to consider as I think of these elements of the work we do ourselves and with others, and I will continue this thought thread in the days ahead.
