A new commissioner was recently appointed to lead the state agency where I worked many years ago.
During my six-year tenure, there were at least 4 similar leadership transitions.
And since then there have been several more.
It’s actually hard to remember the exact numbers because each commissioner’s tenure has been relatively short and their impact on the organization so minimal.
Everytime a new commissioner is appointed, everyone gets a collective sense of amnesia.
“Surely this time will be different! This leader has a better vision (or a new initiative, or is a different kind of leader).”
But, here’s my point:
The agency has stayed the same over the last 15 years more than it has changed under the leadership of many different kinds of leaders, each with their own vision and reform initiatives.
It’s less about the weakness of leaders and more about the strength of systems.
Today, let’s delve into this intriguing paradox:
Even leaders with the best intentions often find themselves merely following the script that the system dictates.
Systems over leadership
It’s a common belief that leaders are the catalysts of change within organizations.
They’re the ones who are supposed to steer the ship towards a brighter future, bring fresh perspectives, and shake things up.
However, as my experience with a revolving door of commissioners and leadership transitions shows, the reality often tells a different story.
Leaders come and go, each with their unique approach and grand intentions.
They believe that their vision will break the mold and finally unleash the transformation everyone has been waiting for.
But what changemaker veterans and long-tenured employees witness time and time again is that the organization remains remarkably consistent in its operations and behaviors, regardless of who is at the helm.
The power of systems
This intriguing phenomenon raises a fundamental question: why does this happen?
The answer lies in the resilience and stability of the system itself.
In the words of systems pioneer Jay Wright Forrester:
“Very often people are just role players within a system. They are not running it; they are acting within it. This has not been a popular idea with people who think they are in charge…but in fact, unless they are knowledgeable in systems, they will fall into a pattern of doing what the system dictates. If they understand the system, they can alter that behavior.”
In essence, the system, with its deep-rooted behaviors, feedback loops, and established norms, has a profound influence on how the organization functions.
Even leaders who enter with the best intentions often find themselves constrained by the system’s inherent inertia.
The complex web of interdependencies within the organization exerts its own gravitational pull, overpowering the influence of any one individual.
3 assumptions to avoid and related systems thinking insights
So, what can we glean from this perpetual paradox, where appointed leaders are caught in the gravitational field of the system?
The best place to start is by breaking free from common assumptions and instead taking a more holistic view of the complex, interconnected world we live in.
Here are three crucial lessons that remind us of the perils of making oversimplified assumptions within complex systems.
Lesson #1: Don’t assume stasis or equilibrium without top-down reform
One of the most significant misconceptions in systems thinking is assuming that systems will remain static unless policies change or new leadership emerges.
In reality, systems are dynamic entities, constantly evolving and adapting to internal and external forces.
They exhibit change without explicit interventions.
Understanding this principle is essential for effective change management.
As leaders, we must appreciate the need for organizations to naturally evolve.
Which means letting people within all levels of the organization make their own decisions rather than just taking orders from leadership.
Otherwise, like the commissioners I mentioned earlier, we might find that our top-down change engineering – “all actions must be approved by the new leadership” – ends up unintentionally preventing organizational evolution.
Lesson #2: Don’t assume cause and effect are linear and immediate
Thinking cause and effect are linear is a simplification that fails to capture the intricacies of systems.
In the realm of systems thinking, we encounter feedback loops, which introduce the concepts of time and space into the equation.
These loops reveal that the consequences of reforms may not be immediate or directly correlated.
Back to the commissioners for a moment: so often they abandoned meaningful reforms that didn’t yet manifest improved outcomes in favor of superficial changes that gave the appearance of transformation.
When we abandon the notion of quick-fixes, we can more deeply focus on taking steps that will lead to good outcomes in the long-term rather than finding ways to take credit during our reign.
Lesson #3: Don’t assume systems can be controlled
Systems are complex entities influenced by countless factors, including multiple actors, policies, and feedback loops.
Assuming that we can fully control a system is a fallacy.
What we can realistically aspire to achieve is the ability to influence the behavior of various components within the system.
This influence might involve changing policies, collaborating with stakeholders, or leveraging feedback loops to our advantage.
By relinquishing the illusion of control and focusing on influence, we become more adept at navigating and shaping systems in alignment with our goals.
But you can still be a good leader and influence change
Despite these limitations, there’s still hope for being an effective leader within a complex system.
Just remember these three principles:
- Embrace the humility to understand that the system’s dynamics transcend individual control.
- Prioritize thinking in systems, focusing on understanding interdependencies and feedback loops, which empowers you to anticipate and navigate complexities.
- Foster decentralization, adaptability, and a long-term perspective to focus on direction rather than speed.
Effective leadership all about working in harmony with the intricate dynamics of the systems you seek to influence.
I know you can do it.
See you next week.
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Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways I can help you:
→ I’m a strategic advisor for the toughest societal problems like poverty, crime and homelessness. People come to me when they want to stop spinning their wheels and get transformative, systems-level change.
→ I’m a coach for emerging and executive leaders in the social and public sectors who want to make progress on their biggest goals and challenges.
Let’s find out how I can help you become transformational.
