This is a simple example, but it demonstrates two fundamental aspects of working with our approach. Firstly, small differences have profound systemic impacts that mean outcomes significantly exceed inputs. Secondly, outliers think about their work in ways that make their job a joy. Indeed, we have modelled some professions or jobs we anticipated we would find ‘boring’, but after modelling the outliers in each, we find ourselves regretting not having chosen that job as a career, including health and safety, auditing, quality control, production planning amongst others.
This example is about a section of a very long beach in the United Kingdom that has one section that is always immaculate, the rest of the beach is clean, but this section stands out, no matter what time of day or how busy the beach is. The other aspect that stands out is the beach cleaner responsible for this section never seems to be working, always seemed jolly, and were always seen talking and chatting with everyone and not doing any work. Indeed, they had been reprimanded several times by their manager for talking and not getting on with their job, a criticism always ignored, with the talking continuing unabated. So how was the beach so clean? And why so jolly?
Talking to the beach cleaner, it became clear they thought about their work very differently. They thought of themselves as ‘a custodian of the community’. They were taking the time to understand each person and how they were doing, and when helpful connecting people with each other. They were listening and showing care, to each individual with no differentiation between the homeless guy that walked along the beach or the millionaire whose house overlooked the beach. Genuine interest with a smile.
Because he was interested in people, people become interesting, and by making connections between people by sharing and connecting what’s interesting between people, he created and maintains a community that does not exist at any other point along the beach. When anyone new arrives they get incorporated into the community gradually, starting with a smile, an hello, then a brief conversation, then an introduction or two. Hence always seen talking and not cleaning. So how does the beach get and stay clean?
I’m guessing you may have guessed; it’s a community that keeps the beach clean. Dropping litter in this place means something very different, it’s showing a lack of care for someone who cares so much, and so no-one drops litter, and when strangers do, there are many people who will immediately pick it up and deal with it, and the stranger wouldn’t be strange for long.
I witnessed one member of this community chasing a dog owner down the beach for not cleaning up after their dog, in a friendly and helpful way; “have you got a bag I can use, you probably didn’t notice but your dog left a message on the beach, what type of dog is he…not sure I’ve seen him before.. does he enjoy the sea.. my dog…”. This is a positive regard demonstrated by the cleaner towards everyone, and it rubs off.
So from a beach cleaner to a loved and cared for member of a community on a section of beach that self-cleans. A systemic effect of a simple but powerful intention and behaviour. This is an excellent example of something we call systemic productivity, and it massively outperforms the typical focus on local efficiencies.