Change involves transformation. The end of something and the beginning of another - in hopefully a better form. Transformational change invokes the circle of life - a season for death and a season for rebirth. A season for shedding and a season for regeneration. Accomplishing this level of change on a systemic level is to have transformation across functions, departments, and levels in a hierarchical organization.

Let’s pause to take this all in for a moment. Think of the size of your team, function and company/organization. Think of the number of levels.

Consider the personas, personalities, dispositions, mindsets, worldviews, beliefs, and values.

Consider how the range of the above co-exist in the same context. They might collide, crash, and collapse. With ripples that might cascade, splash or undulate in a myriad of directions.

Containing, shaping, and arranging all of this is the work of systemic change.

It’s a Herculean task that reminds of the eternal efforts between a boulder and Sisyphus. Like Sisyphus, the work is exhausting, exacting, and endless.

Nine Elements of Systemic Change

Systemic change has a range of sites upon which it occurs - a person, condition, structure, belief, and culture. I also see it as consisting of at least nine elements:

1. Size
2. Authenticity
3. Shape
4. Persona
5. Expertise/Discipline
6. Duration
7. Scope
8. Pace
9. Intensity

To view systemic change through a constellation of these nine elements is to avail yourself of:

• Elements that can be organized
• Levers that can be pulled
• Moves to approach with inquiry

‍

Size of the Systemic Change:

• Tweak
• Mild modification
• Overhaul

Authenticity of the Systemic Change:

• Symbolic
• Performative
• Partial with some omissions
• Holistic and real
  
  

Shape of the Systemic Change:

• Structural changes that are rearrange the same hierarchy
• Structural changes that change personnel but retain mindsets and dispositions
• Structural changes that seem flat (horizontal leadership)
• Structural changes that form a pyramid (few at the top, many at the bottom)
• Structural changes that form a circle (Indigenous Elder circle)
  
  

Persona of the Systemic Change Drivers:

• Rigid, hierarchical, risk-averse
• Flexible, egalitarian, daring
• Strategic and focused
• Tactical and diffuse
• etc

Expertise/Discipline Guiding the Systemic Change:

• Economics and Profit Margins
• Social Science
• Education, Learning, Organizational Development
• Business Psychology
• Human Resource Management
• etc

Duration of the Systemic Change:

• Steady state, constant
• Intermittent
• Cyclical 

Scope of the Systemic Change:

• Within functional boundaries
• Within organizational boundaries
• Among a team within an organization
• Among teams within an organization
• At individual contributor level
  
  

Pace of the Systemic Change:

• Slow and incremental
• N-shaped: starts slow, increases mildly and drops again
• H-shaped: starts slow, increases sharply, drops mildly, and drops again
• M-shaped: starts slow, increases mildly, drops again, repeat

Intensity of the Systemic Change:

• No heat:  🧊
• Low heat: 🔥
• Mild heat: 🔥🔥
• High heat: 🔥🔥🔥

You can build your capacity to unblock the destinies that racism and sexism delay and deny. Work with me to expand your leadership capacity in care-curated leadership crucibles, sustained coaching, community, and battle-tested curriculum. If you want help applying these concepts, enroll in The Equitecture® Academy for Decolonizing Leadership.