The Process of Organisational Change - Systems Thinking

“Training should not be used as a first (or stand-alone) step to long-term change, but as part of a process toward organisational change.”

My first supporting argument for the statement above (from David H. Maister’s report, “Why (Most) Training Is Useless: Start Developing Skills; Stop WASTING Time") is based upon Systems Thinking.

One of the greatest advancements in how we understand and direct change in organisations is systems theory and systems thinking. To understand how they are used in organisations, we first must understand a system.

Sytems

Quite simply, a system is an organised collection of parts, also known as subsystems, which are integrated to achieve an overall goal. The system has various inputs, which go through certain processes to produce certain outputs, which together, accomplish the overall goal for the system.

Systems are usually made up of many smaller systems, or subsystems

For example, an organization is made up of many executive, administrative and management functions, groups, individuals, products, and services. If one part of the system is altered, the entire nature of the overall system is often changed, as well. The system is therefore, systemic; it relates to, and/or affects, the entire system.

As we know, systems range from simple to complex

Each subsystem has its own limitations, and includes numerous inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes geared to achieve an overall goal for the subsystem.

A high-functioning system continually exchanges feedback among its various parts to ensure that they remain closely aligned and focused on achieving the goal of the system. If any of the parts or activities in the system seems weakened or misaligned, the system makes necessary adjustments to more effectively achieve its goals.

A pile of sand is not a system

If you remove a sand particle, you have still got a pile of sand. However, a functioning car is a system. Remove the carburetor and you no longer have a working car.

And your organisation is not a pile of sand; it’s a functioning car.

Your organisation includes numerous inputs, processes, and outputs; due to its complex nature it involves continual feedback exchanges; and making a change to one input without the necessary changes to supporting and supported subsystems, will create misalignments and a need for major, labour intensive, adjustments to these subsystems.

In the next article I will apply Systems Thinking to your organization and advise you on how you can use this methodology to improve your training strategy.

More information on Systems Thinking can be found at www.managementhelp.org

Thanks for reading,

Emma

For more information on corporate training and seminars, or to provide feedback, please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk