In this post we discuss the resilience characteristic of Structure.
Think about a time in your personal life when things were changing. Maybe you just moved into a new place. That’s a time when a little structure helps a lot. Something as simple as unpacking your kitchen items, then get rid of the boxes. Now you can have your coffee in the morning or make a meal. Bringing structure to a new situation reduces the energy we expend to deal with the change.
Note that structure is also more complex because it entails creating and maintaining process. For example, suppose a company decides to launch an entirely new product – let’s say a drug store chain is going to sell food. What is needed to do this efficiently? They must create a process to purchase and replenish the food items; a process to dispose of perishable food after the expiration date; another to ensure cold items maintain proper temperatures…you get the picture.
For change to happen efficiently, processes must be created and maintained. Without it, that chaotic feeling that comes with change may never go away.
The downside when we overuse structure is we can get mired in details and lose sight of the big picture.
5 Step Structure Exercise
Try this exercise to create structure:
- Choose something to structure – it may be time or information.
- Determine who will use the structure – just you, you and one other person, a group?
- What capabilities are needed for the structure? Calendars, technology, common taxonomy?
- Establish the system that will work for you and whomever else is involved.
- Implement the new system and use it for a while. Then adjust as needed.
Remember that the simple act of making a to-do list or putting a reminder on the calendar can help you feel more in control. Use of structure helps us bring order to challenging times.
