Defining your purpose empowers you to clearly state to others why you exist, what you have to offer, who you wish to serve, and what you hope to achieve. Keep in mind also that your purpose needs to align with that of the host organization to ensure a good fit.

An important step in aligning your purpose is to recognize that an organization is not just one system, but three subsystems: professional, administration, and governance. Knowing where you belong determines how you interact with others in your subsystem and those who are part of a different subsystem. Defining your purpose and realigning it as necessary is an important factor in your career management strategy.

Working in a structured system may hamper your ability to remain flexible, react quickly, and respond appropriately unless you understand how to stay focused on your purpose as changes occur and the consequences of disruption unfold around you.

Organizational Subsystem Descriptions

• The professional subsystem is made up of a variety of talented people, each with a specific set of skills and a clearly defined purpose. Some skills are complex and require extensive training, licensing, and continuous practice to stay current.

• The administration subsystem is the source of the organization’s identity. It controls the personnel resources, space utilization, and fiscal allocations. It also determines the wages and salaries for all employee classifications.

• The governance subsystem is about policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. Those who work in the governance subsystem presume the other subsystems are paying close attention to their deliberations and determinations. The governance subsystem takes the form of boards, committees, commissions, and task forces.

Each subsystem has embedded core values, participant expectations, and definable boundaries, which are heavily fortified and fiercely defended. Much like members of an exclusive club, those within each subsystem hold firm to their beliefs, treating those from other subsystems as outsiders.

Outsiders who cross these boundaries will encounter what Annette Simmons calls, “The strategic noncompliance games that run rampant in the workplace.” Her practical guide, Territorial Games: Understanding & Ending Turf Wars at Work, is based on in-depth research into “dysfunctional territoriality.”

The size and influence of each subsystem depends upon the organization’s longevity. For example, in a startup company the professional subsystem would be dominant at first. But as the organization grows, the administrative and governance subsystems will gain more control.

When an organization is operating under favorable conditions, the subsystems overlap at the center. That area represents the degree to which the subsystems share a common purpose. The more each subsystem’s purpose is supported by those in that subsystem, the more influence any one person can have on others in that system.

Subsystem Disruption

Under favorable working conditions the three subsystems act as a unifying force, bringing people together under a common vision. When faced with disruption or external change, however, the commonality quickly dissolves and is replaced by myopic self-interest.

The more you understand the purpose of a subsystem other than your own the more influence you can have within that subsystem. This can be achieved by forming alliances with Doers in other subsystems especially those whose jobs are linked to yours. Your ability to stay focused when the subsystems pull apart is enhanced through networking.