There is always a system

This week I've been reflecting on how easy it is to fall into the trap of forgetting that every thing, every problem, every opportunity, exists within a system. It is such an easy habit to get into to be myopic and just focus in on the visible or the obvious. I think this happens for what can be one or more reasons:

1. lack of curiosity/intellectual laziness
2. fear of complexity
3. Lack of understanding of the system within which the problem/opportunity exists
4. divergent mental models about the problem space
5. The desire to be seen to 'get something done' vs a perception that 'we don't want to boil the ocean'. I think this is often a false dichotomy because there is a vast continuum of scope between the myopic and the ocean, we just need to explore what the right scope is. Just as there is always a system, there is also always a useful scope, that balances the complexity with actually making changes that make a difference in the context of the system.

Minimum Loveable Product

Yes, i did this phrase only half-joking this week. I know i've been in situations before where we've kicked off a piece of work, project, initiative, whatever, and at some point, with the good intentions of actually delivering something, building momentum and learning, we fall into the trap of delivering an MVP that doesn't actually deliver value that is proportionate to the effort to deliver it. Thinking about it, maybe its not even about loveable, maybe its about challenging ourselves to go beyond viable, to valuable?

Drawing to think

I noticed that quite a few times this week i got out a blank piece of paper and just started drawing either the problem i was thinking about, or the thoughts that i was unable to form properly just within the confines of my head. I know that externalising stuff helps me, whether thats writing a problem down, talking a problem through with someone, or drawing it out, each of those always helps me make progress even if its sometimes the realisation that i don't yet have enough information, or a fully formed idea to write/talk/draw about it. I think i just need to do it more often.

Running

Back at the ParkRuns this week, did the Downham Market parkrun, basically 4 laps round a school's grounds. Kept worrying beforehand that i'd forget what lap i was on, but luckily i managed to retain the ability to count to 4 whilst doing the 5k. I'm now 7/22 in my mission to complete all Norfolk park runs this year.