By Maria Mothibedi, Acting Operations HOD: SPM
We’re operating in a time where change is constant, and complexity is the norm. What worked yesterday may not be enough for tomorrow—and our advantage now lies in how we think and connect across the business.
At SPM, we are entering a defining chapter—one where our future success will depend not only on how well individuals perform but on how seamlessly we function as an integrated whole. This moment calls for a fundamental shift in how we lead, how we work, and how we connect across departments and roles.
It’s time to evolve our thinking: from fragmented units to unified systems, from reactive fixes to intentional design, from siloed departments to strategic alignment. This is not about organisational perfection—it’s about building the resilience and responsiveness needed to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
The Invisible Cost of Silos
Every business has departments. But not every business operates as a system. When teams function in isolation—focusing only on their own targets, timelines, or priorities—we start seeing the hidden costs: duplicated efforts, stalled decisions, inconsistent data, and a customer experience that feels disjointed. These are not isolated incidents—they’re symptoms of systemic misalignment.
I’ve seen how these issues play out. A project hits a bottleneck because handovers were not clearly defined. An initiative stalls because insights were not shared across teams. Or one area receives heavy investment while another silently struggles.
Too often, we frame these as people problems. But more often, they are system problems. And that’s where our biggest opportunity lies: in the structure, flow, and design of our business processes—not just in individual performance.
What Systems Thinking Really Means
Systems thinking is a mindset that views the organisation not as a collection of departments, but as an interconnected whole. It challenges us to look beyond job descriptions and KPIs to see how the parts interact to drive outcomes—both good and bad.
Instead of asking, “Who’s responsible?” we begin asking, “What is the system enabling—or preventing?”
Systems thinking pushes us to consider cause and effect, feedback loops, unintended consequences, and long-term impact. It’s about understanding how decisions made in one area ripple across the organisation.
When we adopt this approach, we don’t just fix problems—we prevent them. We reduce friction. We accelerate learning. And most importantly, we align our everyday actions with our larger strategic goals.
Global Lessons in Integration
Some of the world’s most successful companies are not known for individual brilliance alone—they’re known for exceptional systems.
Toyota transformed global manufacturing by pioneering the Toyota Production System—a disciplined framework that focuses on eliminating waste, improving flow, and empowering employees at every level to contribute to quality and efficiency. Its legacy is not a process—it’s a culture of excellence that endures.
Apple’s seamless user experience is the result of tightly integrated hardware, software, and service. The company’s ability to design products and services that work intuitively across platforms stems from an obsession with integration—from R&D to customer support.
Unilever, operating in more than 190 countries, demonstrates how consistent execution across markets can be achieved through robust internal systems. Whether it’s sustainability, supply chain transparency, or innovation, Unilever succeeds because its local teams are united under shared frameworks that enable autonomy while maintaining alignment.
These companies remind us that system design—not just talent—can be a powerful competitive advantage.
Bringing Systems Thinking to Life at SPM
So, what does this look like for us?
First, it means taking a step back to see the bigger picture. Every part of our business is connected. Engineering, finance, HR, operations, and administration are not standalone units—they’re part of a larger system that either flows or clogs based on how well we align.
Second, we need to build intentional systems that support our strategy. That means:
• Defining clear processes and ownership
• Ensuring smooth handovers across functions
• Improving visibility and communication
• Measuring success in ways that reflect shared impact, not just siloed results
Third, we must reward the right behaviours. Too often, success is measured by what a department achieves in isolation. But true progress happens when departments collaborate, share accountability, and co-create solutions.
And finally, we need leadership at every level. Systems thinking isn’t reserved for senior executives. It starts with frontline teams raising risks, supervisors designing smarter workflows, and cross-functional teams aligning around shared priorities.
Why Now?
We’re not just launching new projects—we’re re-architecting how we work. We’re not just refining the way we work—we’re laying the foundation for a more connected and responsive business.
Across the company, we are making important shifts: building more structured processes, clarifying responsibilities, raising performance expectations, and ensuring that our strategic goals are not just understood, but actionable across teams. These changes aren’t happening in isolation. They are part of a broader move toward alignment—where operations, people, and strategy flow together rather than pulling in different directions. If we treat each effort as separate, we risk inefficiencies and duplication. But when we treat them as interdependent parts of a larger system, they reinforce each other and create momentum.
We also face growing external expectations. Clients expect faster delivery and clearer communication. Compliance standards are increasing. And internally, our teams want to work in an environment that is organised, purposeful, and consistent.
To meet these expectations, we need more than individual effort—we need interconnected systems that support smarter, faster, and more reliable outcomes.
Creating System that Support Strategy
To work as an integrated organisation, we need to move beyond the idea that strategy lives in boardrooms or strategy documents. Strategy must be felt in the flow of daily work. That means:
• Defining processes that are simple, repeatable, and well-understood
• Ensuring that handovers across departments are seamless, not stop-start
• Building in visibility—so people understand not only what they’re doing but why it matters
• Measuring performance in a way that encourages shared success, not siloed wins
We are also placing more emphasis on feedback loops. It’s not just about launching projects—it’s about learning from them and iterating. Good systems evolve through listening, reflecting, and responding to what works and what doesn’t.
Leadership at Every Level
Systems thinking doesn’t start in the C-suite—it starts wherever work happens. It’s the frontline employee who raises a red flag early. The supervisor who redesigns a workflow to reduce rework. The project manager who brings in another team early to avoid delays down the line.
That’s why we must empower leadership at every level—not just authority, but ownership. We must recognise and reward the people who see the bigger picture and act in ways that move the business forward.
This is especially critical in a business like ours where execution is everything. The ability to deliver—on time, on budget, at quality—requires coordination, consistency, and clarity. These are not traits of individual brilliance, but of strong systems.
Why This Matters Now
The pressure on businesses is increasing—from clients who want more for less, to regulators who demand transparency, to employees who want purposeful work in an organised environment.
We’re not just launching new projects—we’re re-architecting how we work. We’re laying the groundwork for a more resilient, connected, and performance-driven business. Our efforts—from clearer communication channels to more structured execution practices—are not happening in isolation. They’re part of a deliberate move toward alignment and integration.
If we treat each initiative as a standalone project, we risk duplication and inconsistency. But when we treat them as part of a larger system, we generate efficiency, learning, and momentum.
Building the System Is Everyone’s Job
This transformation will not come from policy documents or PowerPoint slides. It will come from how we show up, every day, in how we plan, communicate, and deliver.
Here are the questions we should be asking ourselves:
• How does my role contribute to the company’s wider goals?
• Where do I see processes breaking down—and how can they be improved?
• Who do I need to collaborate with more consistently?
• Where are we relying on goodwill instead of good systems?
These are not abstract questions. They’re practical—and essential if we want to build an organisation that is not just high-performing, but future-ready.
The Future is Integrated
Our greatest strength will come not from chasing perfection, but from building better systems—together.
We’ll reduce waste, make faster decisions, and deliver more value with less friction. More importantly, we’ll create a culture where strategy isn’t something printed on posters—it’s something everyone understands and contributes to.
This is not about fixing what’s broken. It’s about designing for what’s next.
Let’s move forward—not as isolated teams—but as one aligned, integrated, and future-ready system.