The New System
Two decades ago I designed Aquarius, a fully integrated CRM and Accounting System, to run our agency. We were using a very basic Access system at the time but plenty of things were falling between the cracks. It was intolerable. We had no choice but to upgrade. So as our programmer released each phase of Aquarius (Phased Implementation), we had to beta test and then employ a Parallel Running strategy with one foot in Aquarius and one foot in the Access system for three years. It was messy and chaotic and it was clear that we needed a third overall management system to manage this mayhem. What a nightmare it was! What was amazing was that Aquarius itself evolved outside of the original specs thanks to the transition itself. That Parallel Running process was key in the evolution and development of the final product.
Henry Adams said “Chaos was the law of nature. Order is the dream of man.” That chaos that we experienced for three years effectively drove the creativity in the redesign our entire system. The chaos drove the best results.
Welcome 2022. Right now, businesses everywhere are desperately trying to recruit and hold staff, manage resource shortages while navigating through inconsistent, fluctuating, and nonsensical government mandates. The mathematical sciences are now merely a suggestion able to be adjusted at a daily press conference. Markets are unstable. The rhythm of the cycles is out of sync, vibrating in an unfamiliar wave. Without the certainty of the previous system, and without the confidence of a new system, business in 2022 is in a swan dive.
It’s quite beautiful as it falls.
Typically, when looking for solutions, I look to history. What would the original government and law makers do right now? How could their systems offer potential new pathways? Wikipedia says that one of the world’s oldest governments was in Sumer in the 4th century BC with the Sumerians being responsible for the oldest known law code — the Code of Ur Nammu. However, before that, humans have lived collectively in smaller self-sustaining and self-regulating community pods since time began and it is to them that I now look for guidance.
Our DNA is hard wired to survive, create structures and strategies where needed.
So in this historic time of parallel running, while governments of the world stumble their way through the development and evolution of their new systems, (whatever they may be) it will be incumbent on us to settle into our own habitats, establish healthy macro and micro biomes, and redefine the interdependencies, producers, consumers, predators and prey and abiotic/biotic factors that impact the terrain in which we now live.
It is not enough to complain that this system doesn’t work.
Let’s remove ourselves from the theatre of the day to day headlines and get on with leveraging the chaos of right now to create our own. 😊
Nichola Burton is the CEO for The Pushworth Group, the Creative Director for The Manick Label, the Systems Designer for Aquarius™ The Integrated Solution For The Music Industry, Music Business Coach for Music Means Business.
