Assumptions can be tricky. We need to be able to assume that some things are true in order to get up in the morning and make our first cup of coffee or tea. At the same time, assumptions are an expression of all of our habits and learned biases. We often use assumptions in place of facts.
One way I work with assumptions is to make an effort to state my own assumptions clearly, and often. Here are four assumptions I make whenever I help a group or organization work toward a goal.
Assumption 1.) Every group or organization is a system. Systems are synergistic, meaning they are more than the sum of their parts. How a system works is influenced by its boundaries and context, including the other systems it touches. Complex systems behave in ways that can be observed and intervened in; they create both predictable and emergent results.
Assumption 2. ) Systems produce what they are designed to produce: there are no “side” effects. Results that do not benefit one part of a system may benefit other parts of that same system. This is true for both natural and human-made systems.
Assumption 3.) Systems are Both/And. What we attend to most will grow; indiscriminate growth stunts fruition.
Assumption 4.) What we measure regularly will focus our attention and our resources.
How might these four assumptions about systems apply to your group’s current dilemma? What do they imply about your organization’s strategy review? What do these assumptions invite you to consider about the state of your backyard garden?
