Are you a closed system at work?

Er… You are!

Are you a closed system?

Though so many of us act like we aren’t. We have incoming requests for our time – Our main resource. We process those requests and we produce outputs.

So three variables:

  1. Inputs
  2. Processing capacity
  3. Outputs

Sounds so straightforward, but there are so many ways to tune that system by fiddling with those three variables. And still, it can be simple.

But then further complicate the situation by combining your closed system with that of every other person or team in your organisation.

A network of closed systems and a closed system itself

The outputs of one system become the inputs for another, or probably several more. How are you supposed to optimise the output of the system as a whole? And all the while keeping in mind the overall aims of the organisation?

This is the kind of thing that occupies my mind.