CTO Lifeline: Why is Changing Socio-Technical Systems Hard?

Introduction

• Host: Tech leadership coach and CTO with 20+ years of experience.
• Guest: Tiani Jones, background in engineering, focus on systems and complexity.
• Co-host: Daniel Walters, former CTO and CIO, now a CTO coach and consultant.

Housekeeping

• The show is live to allow interaction with the audience.
• Recordings available on LinkedIn.

Understanding Change

• Change is difficult due to organizational resistance.
• Many change programs, such as agile transformations, fail.
• Socio-technical change involves both social and technical elements.

Socio-Technical Systems

• Definition: Systems with intertwined human and technical elements.
• Importance of analyzing both social and technical aspects for successful change.
• Involves understanding the whole system, work systems, and macro social phenomena.

Challenges in Change Programs

• Ignoring different perspectives can lead to failure.
• Overemphasis on tools without addressing underlying issues.
• Example: New execs restructuring without understanding technical systems.

Practical Experiences

• Importance of mapping relationships and systems.
• Examples:
  • Crime scene-like mapping to understand interactions and problems.
  • Communication and proper team integration can solve issues.
  • Real-life examples from aerospace and banking industries.

Idealized Design

• Focuses on the present, not predicting the future.
• Step-by-step improvement based on current understanding.
• Encourages constant assessment and adaptation.

Communication and Storytelling

• Storytelling can change perceptions and behaviors.
• Combining logic with emotional engagement through stories.
• Importance of systematic communication for distributed understanding.

Tools and Techniques

• Emphasize systems thinking and understanding assumptions.
• Techniques like current reality trees, flow engineering, and storytelling.
• Recognizing the impact of communication structures (hub & spoke model).

Key Takeaways for CTOs

• Learn about systems and socio-technical principles.
• Recognize and challenge assumptions.
• Develop a systematic approach to communication.
• Encourage team autonomy and collective problem-solving.

Silver Bullets and Common Pitfalls

• Beware of single-answer solutions to complex problems.
• Don't rely solely on tools for changes.
• Understand current context and adapt solutions accordingly.

Conclusion

• Socio-technical change involves deep understanding and iterative approaches.
• Encourage learning, communication, and adaptability in leadership roles.

Further Resources

• Literature and white papers on systems thinking and socio-technical systems.
• Mention of various authors and theories (Senge, Deming, Goldratt).

Contact Information

• Noah Cantor: noahcanto.com
• Tiani Jones: properscience.co
• Daniel Walters: Group coaching for CTOs in Australia and Southeast Asia.

Next Episode

• "Three-point perspective" with audience participation, scheduled for September 17th.