Systems all around us

Many people believe that systems have to be clearly defined and described. The reality is that systems are everywhere and that systematic approaches are used all the time. We sometimes just don't think of them as systems.

I was recently an extra in a television production called "Purgatory", produced at the Australian Film, Television, and Radio School (href="http://www.aftrs.edu.au/">http://www.aftrs.edu.au/)

There were many systems being used - from all aspects of preparation - costume, make-up, lighting, camera work and reverse camera work, continuity (making sure that each "take" was like the last so that editing was easier), direction, acting - the list is endless.

What struck me throughout was that things just happened. It seemed that some
decisions were made "in the moment" - in response to something that was immediately obvious, and others were planned and realised in the fullness of time.

It didn't matter how they happened - just that they did.

Don't get hung up on the formality of your systems unless that is imperative. Results count!

Do you play clean, keen or mean?

How you play the game counts. It might not seem much at the time, but not only do first impressions count, but the consequences of your actions could be enormous.

I recently saw an International Judo Competition for under 16 year old (young men and women). There were a few things that stood out. It was necessary to clarify rules because some countries allow different techniques at different ages - what is an acceptable throw or hold-down in some countries for age groups is not in others. Different rules within the same overall system.

And some competitors had a clear edge - they were match ready and experienced.

There seemed to be three main groups - the clean, keen and mean. Some played within the rules to the point where it was almost a disadvantage to them (clean). Others competed very strongly - with determination and skill that belied their years (the keen). The third group played more aggressively - they were not only determined to win, but went the extra mile to the point that some pairs suffered the most extreme injuries of the competition (mean).

The same applies in all areas of our lives. What are we prepared to do, and how we do it impacts on others around us. What are your limits and boundaries - your no-go zones? When we acknowledge these in our lives, we can be more comfortable with our choices and results.

Misunderstandings unlimited...

We all use words, and frequently use the same words as each other, but they often mean different things - and this creates confusion and misunderstandings. Add to this that timing and context is crucial. As we evolve and learn the way in which we use our words also changes.

This can have enormous impacts in our personal and business lives, if we assume that everyone understands our words as we intend them to.

This is obviously not a new idea, but I am writing about it now because I have just read an executive summary that was 25 pages long (and I thought executive summaries were a brief outline of major findings for busy people)!

Either someone has the wrong idea (the authors or me) or the definitions have changed.

When you write reports, think of who will read them, what they are for and how they will be received. It is about how you can best present your information - not how much you know!

How do you change an existing system?

You will know by now that fully support the development of practical
and appropriate systems and that I believe that existing systems should
be regularly reviewed to ensure compliance. If systems are appropriate,
practical and easy to use, compliance will follow.

But what happens when systems change? If we are not careful in managing the
change, the result will be confusion. And the impact of that confusion
could be massive.

I noticed a while ago that prescription medication is now often supplied without the product information pamphlet. This means that patients must remember the doctor's orders for taking the medication, or ask the dispensing pharmacist for the information. This might not be a problem, or it might be a practice that introduces more risk into our health care.

What do you think?

Do you push your customers away?

How many of us have had similar experiences - ready to make a purchase but put off by the retailer not providing the information we need, or not having the stock available?

The balance between stock control and customer service, or "just in time" versus "just in case" is a tough one for small retailers.

I recently went shopping with some friends. The retailer of a small store lost a comparatively large sale (based on his stock prices) because he didn't answer our questions and wouldn't demonstrate a working model of the product. Perhaps he didn't think we were serious and ready to purchase, or perhaps he was short-staffed, or perhaps he really didn't need the sale, or there could any number of valid and not so valid reasons. No matter why, he lost the sale.

How do we greet and treat our potential clients, and can we tell how much they will spend or how long our relationship will last at the first meeting?

Like the Queen has been reported to say of meeting new people "We might not remember them, but they will remember us for the rest of their lives" - we do not know the ramifications of our actions.