The Biggest Oversight in Business

Lewin’s Equation

Lewin’s equation,

B=f(P,E)

suggests that behaviour (B) is a function (f) of the person (P) in their environment (E). This equation represents a pioneering leap in psychology, introducing a framework that doesn’t solely focus on either the individual or the environment, but instead recognises the interaction between the two.

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking, on the other hand, is a holistic approach to analysis, emphasising how a system’s constituent parts interrelate and how systems work over time within the context of larger systems. It’s about understanding a system by examining the linkages and interactions between the components that comprise the entirety of the system.

Intertwined

Let’s consider how Lewin’s equation and systems thinking might intertwine. Lewin’s equation encapsulates the essence of a systems perspective. It embraces the interaction of personal and environmental factors, acknowledging that behaviour isn’t static, but rather dynamic and context-dependent. In other words, it reflects the key principle of systems thinking: the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Lewin’s equation can be seen as a precursor to systems thinking in behavioural sciences, as it articulates a similar concept—that individual elements in a system can’t be evaluated in isolation. Just as in systems thinking, where system behaviour can’t be understood by analysing individual components alone, in Lewin’s equation, behaviour can’t be fully understood without considering both the person and their environment.

Moreover, the systems thinking approach expands on Lewin’s equation by emphasising the importance of understanding feedback loops and the time dimension, which Lewin’s model doesn’t explicitly incorporate. Systems thinking suggests that feedback within the system (which could be a person’s environment in Lewin’s equation) can alter the person and thus their behaviour over time.

Overall, combining Lewin’s equation with systems thinking provides a more holistic, dynamic and interrelated view of human behaviour. This combination encourages the consideration of multiple factors and their interactions, enhancing our understanding of how behaviour emerges from the complex interplay of a person and their environment.

The New Lewin Equation

So, systems thinkers, and Deming, Scholtes fans, might choose to rewrite Lewin’s equation as

p=f(5P,95S):

individual performance (p) is a function of 5% the abilities of the individual person (P) and 95% the nature of the system (S) – the way the work works – within which the person must perform.