Day #71

Self and System

Social Leadership is essentially an exploration of ‘self’ and ‘system’ - the mechanisms by which we find agency within structure, with an overlay of values, by which we seek to make the system better.

That term ‘better’ is the tricky one, as the definition is not universal. So perhaps we should say ‘better for me and mine, within a broader context of you and yours’ - or to put it yet another way, the interconnection of tribes and the search for fairness and belonging.

So what falls under ‘self’ and what is the ‘system’?

Use your sixty seconds today to consider this.

Is ‘self’ just those things that happen within your own head, or does it include the actions that you take, or even the impact that you have?

Is ‘system’ just the laptops and buildings, contracts and law, or does it include culture, or even behaviours?

What is under your control, and what controls you?

Is the ‘self’ always independent and self determining, or does system constrain it?

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