Social System

The members of the social network can be any type of organism from Cell to Person or a mix of organisms. The typical species of organisms that we can see in social systems are:

• cells (primitive cognitive social systems)
• ants
• bees
• human beings (people).

Leaders are also members of a social system.

Each member of a social system is a living system with its own unique properties and abilities.

In some cases an organism may be a member of many social systems. This is especially true of a person (human being). The members of a social system bring their unique cognitive understanding of the context / environment of the social systems they are a part of.

The following cognitive abilities are critical to an organism participating in a Social System:

Cognitive abilities

• Language (describing thoughts and images encoded / decoded using a symbol system)
• Learning (acquiring new skills / knowledge)
• Listening / Reflecting (seeing things from another perspective)
• Communication (coordination of actions and behavior)
• Changing (detecting gaps in current understanding and un-learning and re-learning)

Learned Abilities

• Physical abilities (running, jumping, lifting, throwing, etc)
• Mental processing abilities (writing, drawing, mathematics, etc)
• Personal Values and Beliefs (including an Ecological Worldview)
• Trust

The members and their communication form a "Network of Communications". The communication is intended for the coordination of actions within the social system. The quality of communication (honest, clear and actionable) determines the aliveness of the social system. The Leaders of the social system (one or more members within a social system (leadership may be shared)):

• provide energy to move a social system to a place far from equilibrium
• create the environment for creativity and innovation
• enable conversations in the network to create aliveness
• enable co-creation of outcomes or results
• maintain the dynamic balance of the social system (health)
• facilitate creating an environment based upon an Ecological Worldview

The leaders also take care of other aspects of the social system that allow the social system to thrive in a healthy state of dynamic balance:

• Conflict of interest and power
• Culture (interactions with other cultures, shared values and beliefs, trust)
• Health and aliveness
• Structural Change
• Dissipative Structures

The social structure is a set of rules of conduct which may be written or not that enable the social system to work in a consistent way. The social structure is composed of language, symbols, meaning, rituals.

• organization structures
• documents, manuals
• policy, procedures, standards, etc.
• Strategies, Plans, Objectives, Goals
• rules of conduct
• processes (Roles, Responsibilities, Activities, Work Products)

All of the above items are based upon appropriate Symbol Systems.

These social structures may or may not be written down.

The following types of information are generally found in documented social structures within an enterprise.

• Products and Services (capabilities)
• Stated values, beliefs, behaviours, etc.
• Jobs, Assignments, Roles and Responsibilities
• Rewards, Measures, feedback.

The degree that the conversations use the social structure as documented ensures the context of meaning is strengthened and areas where miscommunication can occur. When communication is based upon the social structure and improvements are made and implemented all of the members will benefit.

A social system is a self generating network of communications in a social network within a cultural boundary of its own making.

Culture as emergent property

• Each person ‘brings forth’ their own values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour based upon the open communication with other members within the social system
  • Also relates to ‘Internalization’, ‘Enculturation’, and ‘Socialization’.
• A common context of meaning emerges through these open communications. Through associated actions, formal social structures may be created to form elements of the common context of meaning as shared knowledge, rules, values and beliefs
• These elements are reinforced and shared through open communication and opportunities to learn using common Myths, Rituals, Ideology, Stories, Symbols, Logos, etc. creating a climate of trust and support.

Culture as membrane / boundary

• Establishes a boundary through a shared sense of identity, purpose and belonging.
• Determines what goes in or out of a social system
• Constrains the actions of the people within the social system
• Forms the basis for ‘purposeful’ and ‘collectively ‘meaningful’ actions / activities.
• Decisions and actions are taken consistent with this common context of meaning.

Culture as hologram

• Each person within the social system carries their mental images and language of the common context of meaning.
• The coherence of each person’s mental images and language create the intensity of the culture of the social system