Reynolds number helps engineers understand how liquids or gases move. It helps figure out if the flow is smooth or turbulent.
It turns out this provides a juicy metaphor for how we work together as a team in regards to processes/systems etc. (oh so riveting).
Lest you become completely unriveted, understand the following:
A. Much of a company’s success is a result of its efficient systems and processes. Not an earth-shattering statement
B. More accurately put, much of a company’s success is a result of creating a culture of maniacal system/process improvement.
C. Likewise, much of any individual’s success (this might be you) is the result of how much value they bring to an organization, which could be summarized into two categories:
- Working the system.
- Improving the system.
Our focus today is on #2.
#2 is rocket fuel for a successful career.
See pic above of Reynolds Number in the natural world… plus winter. These back spirals, known as eddies, are what businesses should try and avoid. They are the things that literally make everyone feel like they are going in circles.
Punchline: Back eddies and general turbulence are less easy to find in our work than a spiraling ice circle on a river, however, they leave signs. We need to increase the frequency at which we are identifying these signs, distilling signs into root causes, and fixing the issue.
Brainstorm: What are ways to identify system/processes that are not working? What do these signs look like?
