We are products of our systems

Years ago, I worked with someone who started at the bottom of the organization and worked her way to the top. She kept increasing her power in the organization at each step. She was reliable and found ways to succeed, regardless of the task.

Coworkers at each level seemed to identify with her. They seemed to be in sync in their thoughts of the organization and ways to improve it.

Yet with each promotion, those on her previous team felt she sold out. They said she became “one of them.” Instead of bringing their thoughts and ideas to the next level, they insisted she took on the thoughts and attitude of that next level.

Despite the attacks on her character, this isn’t at all unusual. To succeed at the next level, she had to emerge herself in the systems at that level. This would present problems in a new light. She saw things from a new perspective, and it made the old ideas less relevant.

I have also seen individuals get promoted and fight against the next level systems. The laborer who becomes a supervisor works to remain friends of those they need to manage. They can’t seem to figure out that it isn’t just about being friendly. It is about getting larger objectives accomplished. Whenever this conflicted with the mental model that they hold they struggled in their role.

Those who were unable to perform at that next level would ultimately return to their former level. It could be by being fired and starting over at another company. It could be through demotion.

When looking at this systematically, it makes sense. The systems are set. If you fit with the systems around that next level, you will flourish. If you resist those systems, you will struggle.

The individuals become products of the systems. Their willingness to adjust their own systems (structures, habits, mental models etc.) become their ability to grow their career.

In Seeing Systems by Barry Oshry, the author says, “We humans are systems creatures. Our consciousness – how we experience ourselves, others, our systems, and other systems – is shaped by the structure and processes of the systems we are in.”

This makes total sense when we look at businesses. We can see that there is a corporate culture. We see individuals rise through the ranks, changing at each step.

We can see that those who don’t fit with that culture and the existing systems struggle. Even when looking at examples of corruption such as Enron we can see that those willing to go along with the corruption flourished. Those who found it unacceptable were labeled outcasts and found themselves working somewhere else.

We can see it with all sorts of groups. From the Nazis in WWII to the NFL team the New England Patriots, there are powerful systems in place to conform to the system. Choose to go against it and you will soon find yourself at odds with it and cast away.

Does this mean that we are all victims of our systems? No. It means that we are more active in the surrounding systems than most would admit. It also shows why these systems become powerful. They attract those who will help promote the culture and shun those who oppose it.

When it comes to your personal improvement, realize that the same thing is occurring all around us. We are taking part in systems and those systems are impacting us.

If we want something different than what we have, we have to look to change the systems. This could be to move away from external systems but more often it means to change our internal habits and systems. Then we will align with higher opportunities. Then we can grow and improve. Then we can confidently move away from systems that don’t fit with who we are striving to become.