The Importance of System

James Clear in his book “Atomic Habits” has a phrase I really like - 

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

This week, our complete team at Mercia Ventures have had a very enjoyable two day off site meeting.  

As part of the agenda one of our team members shared their experience and lessons learnt from elite sport, where for over five years they were part of the very successful GB rowing squad.   For those that don’t know, Great Britain is one of the most decorated nations in Olympic rowing, with over 78 medals in total, including 34 gold, 26 silver, and 21 bronze medals.

One of the key messages I took away from the presentation was that behind the successful athletes there is a system executed by the coaches that is in their words “obsessively process focused that creates systemic success”.

In business, systems are essential for creating efficiency, consistency, and success. Often documented as SOP’s (standard operating procedures) they help guide how things are done, ensuring that tasks are completed in an organised, effective and consistent manner. 

Sam Carpenter’s book “Work the System” delves deeply into this concept. Carpenter himself discovered the power of systems after experiencing near-total burnout while managing his business, Centratel, a telephone answering service. Faced with unsustainable stress and long work hours, Carpenter realised that his company’s processes were haphazard and inefficient, leaving him constantly putting out fires. His business, and life, was in crisis mode, which is a familiar feeling for many entrepreneurs and leaders.

The central thesis of Work the System is that a business can only function smoothly when its systems are identified, analysed, and improved. Carpenter emphasises that nearly every business operation can be broken down into smaller, manageable processes. Once these processes are identified, they can be documented, optimised, and standardised. The goal is to create a self-sustaining system that works independently, freeing up the leader to focus on higher-level tasks.

My reflection this weekend is that systems are the foundation for long-term success in elite sport and elite high performance business. By spending time to transition from a reactive to a proactive approach and then continually iterate to continually improve the building blocks are formed for success.

I would value your thoughts and examples of how you have implemented effective systems in the comments below.

Work the System provides practical tools for building efficient systems and helps readers understand how to transition from a reactive to a proactive approach, ultimately achieving more with less effort.

The importance of systems becomes especially evident when tasks become complex or when managing multiple aspects of a business. In the modern world, where multitasking and scalability are crucial, having robust systems in place can mean the difference between chaos and consistent success.

The book encourages readers to shift their perspective from constantly reacting to problems (working in the system) to working on the system. This mindset shift allows individuals to step back and see the larger picture, refining processes to run more smoothly and efficiently. Carpenter outlines a methodical approach to improve each process, from writing clear procedures to continuously analyzing and tweaking systems for better performance.

One of the key benefits of systems thinking is that it reduces the need for constant supervision. With well-documented processes in place, employees or team members can follow clear guidelines, ensuring that tasks are done correctly and consistently. This not only improves efficiency but also reduces stress for business owners, enabling them to scale their operations more easily.