Problem Solving: Chesterton Fence and System Thinking
Chesterton and Cabrera I am a big proponent of leveraging learnings from different fields and apply them for Enterprise Performance Management (EPM). In today's post, I have picked up insights from - GK Chesterton, a well-known English writer, philosopher, and critic & cognitive scientist - Derek Cabrera. For starters here are some views of Chesterton from his book "The Thing" " There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.” To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: “If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it." The simplification of anything is always sensational, and the rewa