REPLY SD Impact on National Government Policies (SD6176)

[System Dynamics Mailing List]

Posted by  John Raddall <john at quantaconsulting.co.za>

As a new name on the SD mailing list I have followed the debate with
interest and add the following notes which may be useful.

I have worked as a consultant with leaders and their organisations for
nearly two decades, and despite the attraction of an algorithmic approach to
human systems I have found the human condition to remain completely
unfathomable!

Briefly we have a model whereby leadership Œenergy¹ is the primary driver of
system performance.  Leadership Œenergy¹ drives the Œorganisational energy¹
which in turn generates customer satisfaction and profitability.  We measure
leadership and organisational Œenergy¹ and facilitate a process to increase
both.  Where this is successful we predict a positive impact on system
performance.  This is a slightly different approach to re-engineering a
dynamic system where the underlying assumption here is that human systems
are simply too complex to manage at the detail level.  Rather the view is
held that the way to impact a system is to make specific changes at key
leverage points, and that the system will automatically adapt and find a new
point of equilibrium.

If government agencies are not using SD techniques it is simply because:

* They don¹t have to.
* They don¹t want to.

Generally government agencies worldwide have relatively low system energy,
are re-active, political and not particularly innovative, and employees are
rewarded to keep the system just as it is.  I would suggest that a
successful SD intervention requires high energy, motivation, intelligence, a
strong sense of purpose, a pioneering spirit, an ability to take risks, and
a passion for innovation and problem solving.  If you find a government
agency with such core capabilities it is probably already using SD!  Worded
differently I am suggesting that the Œenergy¹ level of a human system
fundamentally determines its ability to innovate and do work.  That is an SD
intervention requires a threshold Œenergy¹ level which is probably above
most government agencies.  Raise the system¹s leadership and organisational
Œenergy¹ levels above this threshold and the probability of SD success may
increase exponentially.

The dimension of human systems that I still find unfathomable is the way in
which the human brain makes decisions, which of course directly impacts
human systems.  A recent book by Read Montague (Professor in the department
of neuroscience Baylor College of Medicine)  ³Why Choose this Book² provides
great insights into the impact of dopamine in our brains and the way in
which ideas can create rewards and a unique reality for each individual.
This model suggests for example that all SD exponents may share a similar
dopamine Œrush¹ when faced with any SD stimulus, as well as the attendant
re-affirmation of purpose, truth and reality, whereas our trusty government
non-SD exponent when faced with similar SD stimuli, will remain blissfully
in dopamine dormancy.

Government agencies therefore will never buy an SD solution because someone
thinks it is a good idea.  They will buy it when the dopamine starts to
flush the neurons generating the right feelings about SD.



John Raddall 
Quanta Consulting
Block B, The Pavilion,
Cnr 9th Ave and Wessel Road, Rivonia, 2128
P O Box 1598, Sunninghill 2157
Posted by  John Raddall <john at quantaconsulting.co.za>
posting date  Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:25:45 +0200