Nothing changes, until it all does

Some systems change in a linear fashion. A little pressure, a little movement; more pressure, more movement. 

But some other systems are more resistant to change. They have defensive structures that are strong in the direction of their main opposing force. No amount of pressure seems to make a difference to these systems as they resist all attempts to make change. 

But even these behemoths succumb over time. 

Sometimes it’s because the expected pressure accrues gradually but consistently until a tipping point is reached and the system’s great defences can’t hold up. 

But other times it’s because new pressure is applied from a different direction and the brittleness of the system is revealed.  

When pushing against these systems it can be easy to lose heart in the face of what seems like impregnable defences. A disruptive force from an unexpected direction can be a great catalyst for change. 

Unfortunately, sometimes the systems we seek to change will outlive us. 

And so when changing the status quo we need to put ourselves on a longer time horizon and play a longer game than those defending it. 

Because for the longest time it will seem like nothing changes, until suddenly it all does. 

Dogs in Jumpers

If you own a short haired dog and live in a country that gets cold, you might put it in some kind of jumper when the temperature drops.

For those who own the dog, this makes sense - they want to keep the dog warm - and not all dogs can stay warm without help.

For others, it can look mysterious, ridiculous, unnecessary and a waste of money.

Proximity to the problem is relevant as the closer we are, the easier it is to understand the stakeholders.

Of course, many things are actually ridiculous- the trick is to be able to tell them apart from dog in jumpers on a cold day.

Of course you might understand or agree, but it could still look ridiculous.

Two sides might not be enough

When thinking about important issues or situations, we’re encouraged to consider both sides. What are the pros and cons? What are the arguments for and against? 

And while pushing ourselves to consider different perspectives is important, it’s important for us to remember that not everything is a duality. 

If we naturally fall on one side of a an issue, we might consider the counter argument just to pressure test our thinking – but we rarely take a 360 degree look at the issue from all the angles. 

360 thinking on a topic might seem like a luxury – it certainly takes more time to consider than taking just one or two perspectives – but it has a power that we often overlook. Many issues, particularly the important ones, have a variety of perspectives that are beneficial for us to understand if we want a fulsome and nuanced understanding of what’s going on.

In fact, 360 thinking can be most powerful when applied to issues where it seems like there are only two sides. It creates space around the direct opposition and allows groups a better chance of finding common ground. 

If we want to build better understandings of the world around us, then we need to take the time to observed it in a more comprehensive fashion. 360 thinking isn’t a panacea, but it’s a great thought experiment to expand our horizons and become better thinkers. 

That’s great, but what about the real world?

It’s important to know the theory. 

“Understanding the concept” makes planning, knowledge transfer and improvisation all possible. But it has a limit. 

If we can’t take that theory and practically apply it to the real world, then it’s just an exercise of fancy. 

Bringing our ideas and concepts to life, making them tangible and allowing them to interact with the real world is the crux of any skill. 

For those bodies of our knowledge which reside only in the realm of theory, when will we let them make the jump into the real world?

The tyranny of distance (another meaning)

From a distance, everything looks simpler. It’s only when we get close to a problem that the detail and nuance is truly revealed. 

For this reason, our armchair speculation is of limited value. From our vantage point, the solution looks obvious, but we can’t see all of the complexity that’s at play. 

Being able to see the big picture is important. But so is being able to appreciate the critical details which are only visible at the coal face.  

It might look easy from afar. It might even be easy. But we should maintain a healthy respect for the opinions of those who are actually in the detail and listen when they tell us that “it’s not that easy”.