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Many systems theorists love to talk about how everything
is interconnected and interrelated and that you can't
change one thing in an organization without changing everything.
Soon, we're deep into a discussion of Quantum physics
and chaos theory, much like the characters in Mindwalk.
My molecules are touching your molecules . .
. you get the picture? Other systems theorists draw a
lot of graphs, circles and squiggles on dry-erase boards
and work up a sweat telling you that your system
is broken-your process is damaged.
As a waitress, systems thinking seemed pretty simple
to me: I would not make any tips if I did not have clean
silverware. In case you never worked the front of the
house, wait staff are dependent upon the host staff to
seat the tables, and the tables need to be ready. In the
back of the house, in the steamy dish pits, often wearing
rubber gear on most appendages, are the dishwashers. Sometimes,
they get free meals before or after their shifts. Some
are young guys working for minimum wage, or internationals
with fake documents, tough girls who can handle the kitchen
staff language-but they've got the dirtiest, sweatiest,
often the least glamorous job-they're scraping and scrubbing
industrial-sized pots and pans, burnt baking sheets and
greasy skillets-they're washing the pretty china, fancy
dodgers and silverware. If you're a waitress, or a hostess,
a chef, or a restaurant owner, you need these
guys. Otherwise, everyone's standing out front in the
lobby, becoming tired and cranky because they’re
hungry and for some reason, even with empty tables, they
can’t seem to get a seat!
I was always nice to the dishwashers, even before I
knew what interdependence was—it
seemed like just plain common sense and good manners.
I carried bus tubs back. I sorted
plates when I wasn’t busy on the floor. I asked
if I could get them sodas or iced tea when
I had a free minute. This is not rocket science or even
some remote organizational theory,
I did not have to study this in graduate school—my
behaviors and choices influence
others and their behaviors and choices influence me.
Much popular literature will tell you that it is the
leaders of the organization that set the tone,
the leaders will make or break the group, the
leaders are responsible for everything that happens.
Even though I'd argue that of the many challenges organizations
face, most could be resolved with some clear leadership
principles, I'd also argue that leadership begins with
individuals, regardless of their positions, and is defined
by how they lead themselves and how they see themselves
as connected to and related to everyone else in the organization.
What about your organization? Who are the dishwashers-those behind-the-scenes
workers whose productivity and performance profoundly affect the health and growth of
the organization? Who are the waitresses and night managers and hostesses? How can we
make one another's work easier and more meaningful? Systems thinking involves a
different paradigm from that of a traditional org chart or hierarchy so common in most
organizations, where we might imagine that one person's job is more important, more
significant than another's. It is in recognizing how we rely on each other that we can
begin to build our collective performance based on our collective strength. But first, we
have to be willing to lead our own thinking. Indeed, "the art of systems thinking includes
learning how to recognize the ramifications and tradeoffs of the actions you choose."1
¹ Peter Senge. The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization.
New York: Doubleday, 1994.
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