The Challenge Of Systems
How Systemization Can Work Against Us
Written by a human, for humans, always.
Systems can be wonderful things.
We need systems in life.
Some systems are terrible, of course.
Some need to be updated.
Some are great.
Some become outdated over time.
Then some...
You wonder how necessary they really are...
Or whether they needed to be systematized as they are.
I was thinking of this because I am currently reading a book that has to do with an alternative health modality...
Very interesting book, the second that I have read by this practitioner.
They had a goal as they wrote this book...
To take a modality that was designed in the early 1900’s...
Then systematize it further based on some of their own background.
As I said, it is an interesting book.
Reading through the ideas and explanations all make sense.
There is theory that works...
At least, to an extent.
As I was reading, I started to see how this individual was trying to design their system...
But it felt forced...
As if they had an idea...
One that was a valid concept to consider...
Then attempted to push everything to fit into this systemized view of looking at everything.
The general concept is valid...
But as I was considering real-world individuals that I have worked with...
The theory stopped working perfectly into these little nice boxes that the author had been designing.
This is actually a problem that can happen with systematized thinking.
Often, we as humans may see patterns...
Even patterns that are valid and actually have truth to them...
But then we attempt to apply that same pattern across the board...
Inevitably designing a failing system.
Instead of finding a pattern that works perfectly...
We end up designing a system that has too many exceptions...
That, when working with people, can create real challenges.
Why?
As humans, we are complex and varied.
There are many things that are similar amongst us...
But even within those similarities, there are usually scales of difference.
People are simply not that simple.
When you design systems that are too small...
You can end up missing the challenges that real people are facing...
Even to the point of unintentionally causing harm.
If you have a toolbox...
You may mostly only use the hammer and screwdriver...
But if you think that the hammer and screwdriver will solve everything...
You’re going to have a difficult time once you get to certain projects.
You, of course, can design systems for how to use a hammer and screwdriver in those situations...
But you’d be much better off utilizing a tool that is better suited.
This is frequently how systems end up becoming.
People begin to narrow down a system more and more...
Until the system itself becomes the problem...
And until you find someone who can think outside of that system...
You become limited in what is possible.
Now...
Does this mean we should disregard systems if they have become too narrow?
Not necessarily.
In the book I am reading, I think that the author has what is actually a very insightful tool that can be beneficial to keep in mind...
But I plan to treat it as a specific tool for specific types of situations...
A framework that I can keep in mind as I work with people...
Without allowing myself to become trapped in attempting to over-systemize the tool.
Systems are good...
New systems can be powerful...
Sometimes they may replace an old system...
But other times they are more like tools to be changed in or out for different circumstances.
It may be perfect in one place...
But in another, you may want to consider something else.
At the same time...
You want to make sure that as you think about systems...
They are strong enough to allow you to navigate successfully...
Without becoming so narrow that you miss out on important things or make things more difficult than they need to be.
To Your Sageship,
Cody
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