Image courtesy of Ron Cogswell
Have you noticed the extent to which the world is an organization of organizations? Systems within systems within systems. Perhaps you've watched one of those jaw-dropping videos that shows the scale of the universe, starting more micro than protons and zooming out to more macro than galaxies If so, you can't help but notice the systematic design of the cosmos.
A cell biologist peers through a microscope at a plant cell and observes the organization of the cell by chloroplast, vacuole, mitochondria, cytoplasm, nucleus, etc. At a larger level, an astronomer uses a telescope to make observations about groupings and clusters of galaxies.
In fact, every single job fits into solving problems at some level/s of organization, right? Let's look at just one sample from a few different levels:
- Sub-atomic particles and up - physicists
- Cells - biologists
- Organs - doctors
- Computers - programmers
- People - psychiatrists
- Groups - teachers
- Buildings - architects
- Companies - management
- Cities - civil engineers
- Habitats - ecologists
- Regions - meteorologists
- Nations - economists
- International - diplomats
- Planets - planetary scientists
- Cosmos - philosophers
If you look around professions represented within your community, the odds are that most are in the social segment. Teachers, firefighters, nurses, accountants, insurance brokers, salesman, etc. That's not to say that the rest aren't still for the benefit of people - they are - but most work is more directly people-focused. I think there are a few key questions that come next:
- At what levels do I best make a difference?
- Who are the leading solvers here? What have they found? How do they solve differently?
- What are the greatest challenges at this level?
- How can those challenges be overcome?
- What would next-level innovation look like at this level that would most help others?
- How can information and successes from other levels of organization inform and improve the level I focus on?
Personally, I've long been fascinated by the work of doctors, especially those who are higher-level specialists like neurosurgeons. Thinking it might be a path for me, I shadowed doctors, met with others in the medical field, and even began my undergrad as a biology major. After a few mind-numbing semesters, and stubbornly showing myself the feasibility of such a pursuit, I made a switch. The next three years were radically different. Political science, economics, psychology, and philosophy lit up my brain like a Christmas tree. I found something closer to my niche, and as time has carried on, I've found the neurosurgeon-types of my field.
See, my infatuation with doctors wasn't about the content matter, although the human body is fascinating. My infatuation was with their high-level expertise with being able to identify a problem within a highly complex system and solve it for the sake of the greater whole. Within my community, as a kid, doctors were perhaps the most prestigious and recognized individuals with this trait. Now, I continue to learn with hopes to be a doctor, of sorts, mainly for macro and mundo organizations of people. To identify key executive, organizational, and national challenges and build solutions to overcome them.
My point is two-fold. One, what organization level's content is most fascinating to you, versus not fascinating (not just mind-numbing)? Thank goodness there are experts in every field. And, two, what characteristics do you admire from other fields, and how do they apply to yours?
The world is a system within a larger system and made out of systems and so forth. Across all of these, there are patterns to recognize. They are keys for impact. And, if you build an expertise within one level, you'll likely be more able to make a greater impact in every other level you find yourself connected with.