Professionalism

So, as managers, we are facing overwhelming rates of change, of mind-numbing complexity against increasing expectations of our performance.
And... we can't stall the rate of change, and we can't ignore it, and we can't realistically cope with it! So, what is left? Run away?
Well, yes, I suppose it is - at least in a sort of 'can't see the wood for the trees' interpretation of the phrase. If we step back a bit, our ability to cope with change improves as our perspective widens. We see patterns and connections that appear confusing when we are more intimately involved in the problem. We can resolve systemically those issues which repeatedly consumed our attention and eroded our efforts.
But this isn't such an unusual perspective. Other technical professionals are forced by their disciplines to adopt this viewpoint. It is not an option for a scientist or an engineer to permanently design themselves into their systems and solutions to compensate for the unexpected. Instead they have to understand the whole system and its patterns of behaviour, and then to effect permanent, consistent self-sustaining changes.
As a result, while changes in science and technology happen at an alarming rate, the role of the scientist or technologist remains sufficiently stable to enable them to calmly & systematically exploit the possibilities.
In this section, we look at how other professional disciplines achieve this, and the potential this understanding offers to management.
The key is held in three aspects of the professional approach:

	Meta-perspectives provide the means for scientists to keep their thinking at a level where patterns can be seen and principles derived
	Systemic solutions ensure that their conclusions are stable, consistent (repeatable) and available for practical application
	Disciplines make past learning available in a practical form, provide a pathway through confusion and ensure confidence in the answer

Best management practice interprets these aspects for the management environment, creating a systematic approach which equips management to professionally fulfil their responsibility for change.
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