Changin' Times

This week, my family and I celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. For me, it is a natural time for reflecting on the year that has passed and thinking forward to the year ahead.

Our small synagogue has the special tradition of celebrating in a sanctuary amongst the trees, located at 7000 feet on Mt. Lemmon, an oasis that is less than an hour’s drive from Tucson. Driving up the mountain, one encounters five distinct ecosystems. No matter how many times I make the drive, I am always amazed at how quickly one ecosystem morphs into another: the majestic saguaro cacti of the Sonoran Desert transition to grasslands, then oak and piñon-juniper woodlands, then ponderosa pine forests, and finally to a mixed-conifer forest with aspens and other northern species near the summit.

After making the drive (though not quite to the summit) to join with my congregation in celebrating the new year, I found myself reflecting on other changes that have taken place over time. For example:

• The faces of family gathering together for services: some older and hopefully wiser, some new, some no longer there;

• The quality of other relationships in my life;

• The quantity and type of distracting thoughts that meander through my mind at any given time.

As a systems thinker, I am constantly observing how elements within systems change over time, generating patterns and trends. If I plot these on a behavior-over-time graph, I can visualize where I’ve been, where I am now, and where I want to be. I can then identify action steps to move me in the direction of my desired state.

For example, I recently completed a rough behavior-over-time graph to illustrate my journey with systems thinking. To continue on my desired trajectory, I am keeping the habits and tools of systems thinkers in the forefront of my mind, both personally and professionally, and sharing connections that I make with others. Through my work with Kimbo Coaching & Consulting, I am committed to supporting leaders who are involved in mission-driven work in doing the same.

There is little in our world today that is static. In fact, the words of Bob Dylan feel as, or more, poignant today as they ever were: “...the times they are a-changin’.” Please contact me if you’d like to explore more about navigating changes in your organization.

When do you make time to reflect on where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to go? How do you do this?

Considering the systems in which you’re involved, what important elements have changed over time? How have they changed? What patterns or trends have emerged?