To Dream, To Believe LO11586

Bbcompton@aol.com
Sat, 28 Dec 1996 10:02:52 -0500

Replying to LO11574 --

In LO 11574 William Hobler wrote what I consider to be a very accurate and
meaningful post. Part of what he said, in answering my question, was:

>> I think that the nervous system is the 'information infrastructure'. It
>> is Peter Kean's Information Technical Platform plus those applications and
>> databases (information bases) that encourages sharing all information.
>> This is more than computers and communication systems. The ability to
>> meet and communicate, not only randomly but 'by accident' or coincidental.

>> One of the artifacts that should be available is a list, or lists such as
>> this one. Another artifact is the work space in which people can meet or
>> have aloneness.

I would agree with this assessment and wanted to see if other people felt
the same as I did. At work I've been taking small groups of people on a
"tour or the corporate anatomy," which includes a stop by the "punch-down
closet" where all of the network connections are brought together and sent
down the fiber-optic cable. In our closet there are over 300 connections.
The wires coming out of the wall and into the punch down closet look like
nerves in a nervous system (a coincidence that only accentuates my story).

I talk about the nervous system of the human body, and how it knows how to
work together to create complex physical behavior (i.e. running, jumping,
basketball, football, hockey, etc.). I then compare the network with the
nervous system, and how if each of us uses it correctly, we too can create
complex business behavior.

An athelete, like Michael Jordon, gains a competitive advantage from the
complexity of his moves; despite that complexity, his moves seem natural.
Practice has paid off for him. An organization must become an adept at
naturally creating complex behavior if it is to remain competitive. This
requires a well-developed and functioning nervous system.

--
Benjamin B. Compton
bbcompton@aol.com
 

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>