Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Sometimes the system we really use is not the system we tell people we use.

“This system won’t work,” said the person whose job it was to analyze a system.

But, the system works, i.e., the group of persons using the system that won’t work seem to get along just fine. In fact, they are succeeding at whatever it is they are attempting.

Hmm, but the system won’t work. Well, the system that is described in the system description won’t work. Further analysis shows that there is a person or two—let’s call them the heroes—in the room who do whatever it is they do. And “the system” works.

The heroes aren’t using the system that won’t work. If they did, the place would collapse. The heroes aren’t using the system that everyone says they are using. The heroes are using a different, hidden, or private system that does work.

Perhaps we should attempt to describe the system actually being used. Perhaps there are folks who don’t want to describe that for fear of something that should be feared.

If people are succeeding, they are using a system that works. It doesn’t matter what they say they are using. We are an odd lot.