ST_Casestudy25_ANation

INSIGHTS FROM KEY SUCCESS LOOPS: BECOMING A LEARNING
ORGANIZATION!
Some thoughts on going forward -- meant to act as "jogging" more ideas

Learning to wean off dependence of the people (citizens) on the 'parent figure' (government),
something which we instilled as young persons in (younger) persons, and needing to learn to let go
'of the child' in the citizens
[LOOP #1 (TOP RIGHT): WORK TO START NOW, SO THAT IT WOULD REAP FRUITS IN THE LONG-
TERM, e.g. MOE and LG]

Learning to "let go" and resist the temptation to be the heroic "firefighter" (the masculine tendency to
rescue damsels in distress)
Letting "the child" in the other person "to grow up" and not assume the other person will not make it
without you! Work on one's ego needs (will I only be happy if I see other person depend on me? That
makes me a bigger and better person? Where did that come from?)
Citizens learning to see that the government trusts them to solve their own problems and are not choosing
to take the "easy way out"!
Citizens noticing the government engages and involves the citizens in solving the country's problems (and
not merely acting as someone who responds to issues and concerns the citizens raise! (Notice the citizens
parenting the government!)

TIP: Learn to turn

the questions back on the citizens rather than having to resort to being the

only 'clever guy

around here!'

Learning to become independent by appreciating and creating life with ones' hands - trusting oneself
and not having to believe one needs to defend oneself
[LOOP #2 (BOTTOM RIGHT): WORK TO START NOW, SO THAT IT WOULD REAP FRUITS IN THE
LONG-TERM, e.g. MOH and NACA ]

Learning to create life and see life forms around you grow and thrive under your care. Believe
that you can help life forms around you to become a thriving plant, garden and landscape.
Learning to let the citizens becoming involved in doing (simpler) things - not because they are under
control or supervision (paid arrangements e.g. contracts, and appointments). This could start with letting
them (the staff of the civil service being allowed to 'do things their way')
Citizens showing interest in creating, appreciating life and learning to make life happen together
Citizens believing that "Botswana is my village" - I trust my countrymen (and not just my family and my
villagers) to protect, support, help and nurture (and not laugh at) me
Citizens attempting to try out and are appreciated for achieving they had set their hearts on - appreciate
for the effort not the outcome - start with the snowballs!
People do things because they want to (not because they have to)!

TIP: It is not

about the finishing line was, but learning to appreciate the journey

one

kes

get there

Learning to have quality in collaborations, joint planning and implementation
[LOOP #3 (BOTTOM LEFT): WORK TO START NOW, SO THAT IT WOULD REAP FRUITS IN THE
MEDIUM-TERM]

If the above two are working well (when we respect the order in which things happen), we should begin to
see people and the country wanting to pay attention to investing and building the capacity of human
resources
The country is paying attention to (even) the 40% of projects that are completed well, rather than only
those which are not

TIP: Learning to see that the glass is half-full rather than half-empty

Learning to overcome the harshness of reality and create the next level of inclusiveness of the people
and willingness to devolve the country's work to the people in helping to co-creatie higher qualities
of life
[LOOP #4 (TOP LEFT): WORK TO START NOW, SO THAT IT WOULD REAP FRUITS IN THE SHORT-
TERM]

If the above three are working, draught trends are replaced by creating waters (life cycle) and greens,
HIV/AIDs trends are replaced by creating and procreating life; people are coming out of their villages and
are helping to build communities where more people come to work and live together, from there is no land
to making space for more land!
People invest in the fundamentals and show willingness to wait out long-term to see sustained levels of
results. Today's problems come from yesterday's solutions!

TIP: DEVELOP SYSTEMIC LONG-TERMS

PLANS (THE GANTT CHARTS); CONSCIENTIOUS OF

INTERRELATIONS

(CIRCULAR CAUSALITIES) AND DELAYS (TIME IT TAKES FOR THINGS TO

HAPPEN

...

EVENTUALLY)

Updated in June 2007

Systems Thinking Case Study #25:
Bringing a Nation Together - Key Success Loops

AN INSPIRATION TO BRING A NATION OF GOVERNMENT BODIES TOGETHER!
(From Botswana - A G-to-G project where Systems Thinking was used)
If you are a government Ministry, which loop is the garden
would you need to tend to so as to keep your country's vision growing?

This is the work of 2007 study. The results of 2005 study, click here.

MLH

MWT

MOF

MTI

NOW WE SEE A (SYSTEMIC) STRUCTURE,

WITH SYSTEM-WIDE IMPACT OVER TIME AND SPACE,

SOME

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

WOULD YOU MAP YOUR STORY OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE SAME WAY OR DIFFERENTLY? SHARE THIS WITH YOUR TEAM AND
COLLEAGUES AND AMEND, ADD OR DELETE AS NEEDED TO MAKE IT RELEVANT FOR YOU. JUST WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE - YOU
ARE NOT DRIVING TOWARDS AN END THAT YOU DESIRE (MODEL I). YOU ARE MAPPING A REALITY AS THEY ARE ACTUALLY
HAPPENING (TIP: USE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS, "When this happens, it leads to that happening next?" Do not say: "When this
happens, I / we tend to do this!" Respect reality). HAVE FUN!
WHERE DO YOU SEE IS THE LEVERAGE? I HAVE DELIBERATELY NOT INCLUDED THOSE HERE. CHECK UP THE ELEVEN LAWS OF
THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE AND DISCUSS WITH YOUR TEAM TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THAT LEVERAGE FOR ALL OF YOU? WHAT DID
KNOWING THE LEVERAGE MEAN FOR YOU? WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE TURNED THIS STRUCTURE AROUND TO BECOME
A POSITIVE VIRTUOUS LOOP (VISION) FOR YOUR TEAM? WHAT MIGHT GET IN THE WAY OF MAKING THESE HAPPEN?
WHAT KEEPS OUR CONVERSATIONS AWAY FROM LOOKING MORE LIKE THESE AND THEREFORE GETTING IN THE WAY OF SEEING
THESE STRUCTURES MORE EASILY?

Click

here

to share your thoughts, comments and reactions

INHERENT SYSTEMIC STRUCTURES: R EINFORCING LOOP

MCST