September 1, 2000
In this issue:
The First Law of Systems: Survive at All Costs, by John Renesch
Newsbriefs
Prize Offered for New Name
Special Offers
*************************************************************
NEWSBRIEF:
“Conscious Leadership” is John’s editorial in the September issue of eCHOICE (see below for more information). This article is based upon a longer piece that John wrote for the Millennium Summit in New York, in lieu of his presenting his paper in person.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
EDITORIAL
The First Law of Systems: Survive at All Costs
by John Renesch
2000©John Renesch
There’s an excellent book that few systems theorists are aware of – a book that is tongue in check yet quite insightful about the way systems operate. The book was first published in 1986, four years before Senge’s The Fifth Discipline which opened the door to systems thinking for popular audiences. This unique book is entitled Systemantics: The Underground Text of Systems Lore. This book was not published by an academic. Nor was the author a member of the consultants ranks. The author, Dr. John Gall, is a podiatrist! That’s right – a foot doctor.
Gall has created a masterpiece in this book, loaded with corollaries and theorems, seeded with wonderful humor while being incredibly on target. Praised by Kevin Kelly in the Whole Earth catalogue, “The author is having fun with a serious subject…insights come in the form of marvelously succinct rules of thumb…” The book’s tag line is also revealing: “How Systems Really Work and How They Fail.”
Recognizing that “Complicated systems seldom exceed five percent efficiency..” Gall proposes among other rules of behavior that systems always kick back, get in the way, and tend to oppose their own proper functions. This certainly matches most people’s experience of working in organizations, particularly bureaucracies.
He also postulates that “The system itself does not do what it says it is doing” – one of the most obvious unspoken truths about organizations.
As I read this book over a decade ago, I came away with my eyes opened wide, finally realizing that systems inevitably replaced their stated purpose with one that is common to ALL systems – their own survival. As a result, any attempt to change a system can be viewed from within it as a threat – a threat to its “life” and therefore resisted in ways that aren’t even visible.
However, once this truth is known, the system can be engaged more wisely…that is unless one forgets this very basic truth. If one does, then one is not only a fool but also wasting one’s time.
#################################################
eCHOICE GUEST EDITORIAL BY HAL ISEN:
San Francisco Bay Area consultant Hal Isen is the author of this month’s guest editorial in eCHOICE (see details below). He makes a distinction between accomplishments as results, a subtle yet profound difference that many “busy” executives and managers will find quite valuable.
*******************************************************
NEWSBRIEF:
Following the evenings on consciousness and business held in The Presidio, which featured Stanford’s Michael Ray and The Park.com founder Brent Hunter, holistic lifestyle consultant Elizabeth Bloom and John have decided to serve as co-hosts of a monthly series – “The Presidio Dialogues” – which will begin October 24 and continue every fourth Tuesday evening of the month. Announcements, including specific topics and guests, are expected within the next week.
**********************************************
READERS SURVEY: PRIZE OFFERED
John is considering changing the name of Aha! to one that more accurately conveys of the message of this free e-newsletter. Subscribers are invited to submit new titles for consideration. Please send suggestions via email with “New Name” in the subject and only the title or titles you are suggesting (may include title AND subtitle) in the body of the message. PLEASE, no signatures or personal messages…just your suggestions.
The person who suggests the selected title will receive a choice of any one of seven books personally inscribed with a message from John as a prize, in appreciation for the suggestion. Present titles under consideration include “Better Future Newsletter” (or “The Better Future”) and the “Renesch.com News” but additional suggestions are wanted. Deadline for suggestions is September 30.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
AHA! IS FREE,
FEEL FREE TO FORWARD IT & LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT IT
**********************************************************************************
GET AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF JOHN’S BOOK:
“Getting to the Better Future: A Matter of Conscious Choosing”
by John E. Renesch from New Business Books of San Francisco…
Foreword by Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop.
Rave reviews by Warren Bennis, Neale Donald Walsch, Peter Russell, Sally Helgesen, Michael Ray and others…..
For preview, go to Getting to the Better Future
FOR AUTOGRAPHED COPIES,
BUY DIRECT……
Credit card orders: call TOLL FREE 877-273-6372 or 415-437-6974.
Single copies: $13.50 (plus $3.75 S&H); CA residents add 8 1/2% sales tax.
20% discount for orders of five or more copies.
Also, available from Amazon & Barnes & Noble. Distributed to bookstores by Ingram Book Company.
**********************************************************************************
NEWSBRIEF:
*****************************************************************************
eCHOICE: The E-Newsletter for Introspective Leaders:
eCHOICE is SENT DIRECTLY FROM JOHN, not through the automatic system of his Web site – Renesch.com – like issues of Aha! Subscribers receive eCHOICE in two formats – as text in the body of the email AND in MS Word as an attached file so more attractive copies can be archived by subscribers.
US$43/two-years ($1.79/issue); US$24/one-year ($2.00/issue):
Visa & Mastercard credit card orders: TOLL FREE: 877-2-RENESCH; fax 415-474-7202 with card number, expiration date, and “snail mail” address complete with mail code; mail checks (payable to “John Renesch”) to P.O. Box 472379, San Francisco, CA 94147-2379 USA.
**************************
About John Renesch
Aha! is prepared monthly by John E. Renesch, a San Francisco writer, futurist, and business philosopher. His new book – Getting to the Better Future: A Matter of Conscious Choosing – is just out. He served as Editor-in-Chief of The New Leaders business newsletter from 1990 to 1997 and has created a dozen business anthologies on progressive business subjects, including consciousness, intuition and leadership. These books include New Traditions in Business, Learning Organizations and The New Bottom Line.
He is also an international keynote speaker, having addressed audiences in Tokyo, Seoul, London, Brussels, Budapest as well as many cities throughout the U.S.
