The Systems in Gimbal Systems
We approach each client organization as a unique system composed of interacting components, complex processes, and organizational structures. Each client organization has its own culture, patterns, and habits. To its members, these patterns and habits—and the problems that arise from them—are often invisible.
Gimbal Systems maximizes its “outsider status” as an asset. Our objective viewpoint allows for honest conversations about what’s truly going on. This perspective gives us the ability to remain focused on the task at hand when the system exerts itself to protect the existing pattern. Change is never easy for anyone, especially when done alone, and Gimbal Systems is in business to help organizations and individuals navigate change in service of being the best system they can be.
Our goal in every working relationship is always to be as effective as possible, with an eye toward our partner being able to sustain the change without us. We believe this dramatically differentiates us from most consultants that work with an eye toward generating more work within the organization.
To find out how Gimbal Systems puts all of this conceptual language to work in real life and business please see our Track Record.
Systems Defined
A system is a set of interacting or interdependent entities that form an integrated whole. The integrated whole is defined by the relationships that make someone or something a unique entity, just like the multiple individual gimbals connected together comprise a gimbal system. Most systems share common characteristics, including:
Structure, defined by the system’s parts and their composition
Behavior, which involves input, processing and output of material, energy or information
Interconnectivity, the various system parts sharing functional and structural relationships
Functions or groups of functions
A gimbal is a device that serves as a support that can pivot around an axis. A gimbal system links several gimbals together to provide freedom of movement for whatever it holds at its center by responding without constraint to external forces. The result is that a gimbal system keeps objects in the center level in unstable environments by providing unlimited “degrees of freedom”.
Consider three important applications of a gimbal system: compasses, stoves and lanterns on boat. All three need gimbals in order to remain upright with respect to horizon despite the constant pitching and rolling of the sea. Without gimbals supporting these three critical items on a boat there would be no sense of direction, reliable sustenance, or steady illumination during ocean journeys, which would make successful passages almost impossible.
The concept of remaining grounded, level and directional is a powerful concept not only on a boat but also in life and in business. We all strive to remain grounded, level, and directional in life and business. Working against us are disruptive forces always acting on us, potentially keeping us from achieving the results we want.
Given that reality, Gimbal Systems helps you to consider:
Occasionally, a gimbal within the system locks up, diminishing the degrees of freedom for the object in the center. This kind of constriction happens all the time in life and in business. We compromise one of our gimbals. We become one-dimensional, less flexible, and ultimately more susceptible to being knocked off course by those disruptive forces.
When we experience this confusion and lack of direction, we need something to calibrate against or towards. We need to adjust our course.
In times of lock and constriction, Gimbal Systems helps you to consider:
Our job is to help “Calibrate for Success” by defining the standard to measure against and then establishing or resetting the necessary gimbals to support success consistently, regardless of the disruptive forces that inevitably come along.
