Are we living in the matrix? Systems can be a lot like the matrix in the movie, The Matrix. We live inside these systems every day and often we are completely unaware of them.
These systems are inside us, including me. Whenever I am resistant change, there is an internal system at work. A company or even an entire industry can resist the changes that are occurring in the marketplace. This indicates systems at work. When something goes viral on the Internet, this too is due to a system at work producing increased sharing of the item just because it’s already been shared a lot.
As we talked about last time, a system is a cycle of causality. The feedback loop in a system may be a reinforcing loop that ramps up the cycle, or it may be a balancing loop where it dampens the cycle.
Whether we want to be an awesome manager, a great teacher, or we want to end homelessness, we need to be aware that the people we want to influence live within systems.
When we become aware of these systems, we can be a lot more effective pursuing our calling. Let’s look at an example.
Suppose I want to be a great teacher. I can change how I present the material in class. I can change the context of the classroom encouraging more sharing among the students. I can engage the students in interactive, experiential learning. All of this is great, however, my success will be far greater if I can recognize that the students’ ability to learn is greatly influenced by their home environment.
I can offer various parenting classes on weekends. I can ask the parents to read to their kids. Or I can do something radical and set up a valet service to help the kids get onto the campus without all the family raucous that often has kids starting school angry.
This is what happened in Hardy Elementary school in Tennessee. This provided a calm moment between when the kids were dropped off by parents and when the started school. There was also an all school assembly first thing in the morning that taught kids about character qualities and reinforced striving for excellence. The kids then walked to class with “traveling arms” which meant they had their arms fold behind them reducing the chance that kids will mess with each other while walking to class. By the 8:00am, the students where in their class room ready to learn.
If you want to know more, check out Switch by Chip and Dan Heath in section 7 of the chapter, ‘Build Habits’
It is important that we understand the systems in which we operate. If we are unaware of these systems while attempting to create change, it will be like living in the matrix. Effective change will be elusive.
