Click here to listen to the podcast!
When I say the word system, what comes to mind?
Depending on your background, you might think of constellations in space, a weather front moving across the plains, a series of interconnected servers — or even the vast and often inequitable machinery of government. Each of these reflects a collection of components that operate within a defined boundary, connected by purpose (or at least designed for one).
The Greek root of the word — systēma — means “an organized whole.” It comes from synistanai: “to place together, to form in order.” At its core, a system is a structure created with intention — a combination of parts brought together to stand.
So let me ask you: Are your systems helping you stand for something?
When Systems Forget Their Purpose
Too often, organizations build systems that lose their soul.
Imagine this: An employee, sharp and experienced, finds a way to solve a client’s problem in a fraction of the expected time by using the software more efficiently. The job is done right, the outcome is excellent — but the result? They’re chastised by management. Why? Because they didn’t log enough billable hours. Come review season, their bonus is smaller than someone who moved slower, delivered less, but billed more.
That’s not just a flawed policy. That’s a system failure.
When we prioritize metrics over meaning, rigidity over relevance, we reward the wrong behaviors. We penalize creativity. We lose sight of the very purpose the system was supposed to serve in the first place. Discipline without flexibility is tyranny. Flexibility without discipline is chaos. Leadership isn’t about choosing one or the other; rather, it’s about navigating the tension between the two.
Discipline with Flexibility: A System of Self
Leadership starts at the personal level. I live by systems — not because they box me in, but because they set me free.
Every morning, I meditate — not for the sake of checking a box, but to reconnect with my breath, my body, and the moment. I journal — not out of obligation, but because stillness invites clarity. I run — not just for health, but to marvel at the miracle of movement, the coordination of every part of me working in rhythm.
I weigh my food. I track my calories. I don’t drink. I don’t eat fried food. But it’s not deprivation — it’s a declaration. A declaration that my choices today are aligned with the version of myself that I’m building tomorrow.
And sometimes, yes, I eat the fries. Because I’m not a machine — I’m a human being. The system I’ve built is one of discipline with flexibility. That’s what makes it sustainable. That’s what makes it mine.
Culture Is a System — So Design It
Organizations often talk about culture as if it’s a byproduct, something that “emerges.” I don’t buy that. Culture is a system. And like any system, it can be designed — or it can drift.
You either inherit your systems … or you design them.
That is the reason I wrote the Golden Cycle Leadership Journal; because it is a system that helps you reflect on your own why. As you may recall, there are three components of this system:
→ Reinvention: the courage to reimagine the current system
→ Resilience: the grit to challenge what no longer serves
→ Empowerment: the discipline to build something better
A system that works isn’t just efficient — it’s human. It makes space for purpose, progress, and people.
My Challenge to You
Look around your life. Your team. Your habits. Then, ask yourself:
Are the systems you’ve built serving your goals or suffocating them?
Are they aligned to your values or running on inertia?
Do they elevate people or reduce them to metrics?
Great systems don’t just function. They make people feel seen, valued, and inspired.
And, it’s time we built systems with a soul.
