Systemantics. The Systems Bible

the Basic Axiom of Systems-function, the one from which all the others are ultimately derived: BIG SYSTEMS EITHER WORK ON THEIR OWN OR THEY DON’T. IF THEY DON’T, YOU CAN’T MAKE THEM

The next step is even more catastrophic. Since Trillium has clearly stated his Goals and Objectives, it is now possible to deduce with rigorous logic how he should spend his working and waking hours to achieve them. No more pottering around pursuing spontaneous impulses and temporary enthusiasms! No more happy hours in the Departmental greenhouse!

COMPLEX SYSTEMS EXHIBIT UNEXPECTED BEHAVIOR One is merely a pessimistic feeling; the other conveys the exhilaration that accompanies recognition of a Law of Nature. Because of its fundamental importance for all that follows, we have termed this Law the Generalized Uncertainty Principle.

The first thing to note is that talking to a System is not like talking to a person or even to a pet. The command, “Here, Spot!” can reliably be counted on to produce not merely an approach response of the four legs, but also appropriate accommodative reactions of head, ears, tail, and body. The whole dog hears and responds. If Spot chooses not to

Paradoxically, when the trial is finally over and the competitive conditions are relaxed, the “successful” contenders may exhibit a sudden loss of control or of adaptability. The cessation of the actual struggle apparently may produce in the survivors a sudden disorientation, a loss of customary frame of reference, that has the quality of an halluc

the very first principle of Systems-design is a negative one: DO IT WITHOUT A NEW SYSTEM IF YOU CAN The scholar will recognize this as Occam’s Razor in modern form: AVOID UNNECESSARY SYSTEMS (SYSTEMS SHOULD NOT BE MULTIPLIED UNNECESSARILY) Two immediate Corollaries, with significant implications for Management, are as follows: (I) DO IT WITH AN EXI

Trillium is happy as a Botanist, and never so happy as when he is elucidating the Life Cycle of an Angiosperm. But now his Chief is demanding Goals and Objectives. This is both disturbing and threatening. Trillium doesn’t want to think about his real goals and objectives; indeed, they are unknown to his conscious mind. He only knows he likes Botany

SYSTEMS TEND TO OPPOSE THEIR OWN PROPER FUNCTIONS

Briefly, Catalytic Managership is based on the premise that trying to make something happen is too ambitious and usually fails, resulting in a great deal of wasted effort and lowered morale. On the other hand, it is sometimes possible to remove obstacles in the way of something happening. A great deal may then occur with little effort on the part o