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The Cabrera Lab Blog

As part of our research mission, we strive to make the science of systems thinking accessible to everyone. The Cabrera Lab Blog and the Cabrera Lab Podcast are our primary platforms for sharing these ideas. The views expressed in these outlets are solely our own and do not necessarily represent those of our partners or of Cornell University.

VMCL

The Power of Wow

Excerpt from the book, Flock Not Clock. The Power of Sharing Mental Models: Wow Stories "I am empowered to create unique, memorable and...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Dec 16, 20213 min read

Change Happens One Mental Model At A Time Until You Hit A Committed Minority: CBG as an Organizational Change Tool

Change Happens One Mental Model At A Time Until You Hit A Committed Minority: CBG as an Organizational Change Tool

Change Happens One Mental Model At A Time Until You Hit A Committed Minority: CBG as an Organizational Change Tool

This post is an excerpt of Chapter 6 of Flock Not Clock. We create a culture of vision, mission, capacity, and learning Leaders often say...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Jul 8, 202110 min read

Designing an Effective Vision Can Be Challenging

Designing an Effective Vision Can Be Challenging

Designing an Effective Vision Can Be Challenging

Designing an Effective Vision Can Be Challenging. By far, the most challenging aspect of Vision design is that they are ideally binary. ...

Derek Cabrera

Apr 27, 20217 min read

Embed "Stand Down and Bubble Up" Into Your Culture Now So You'll Be Ready Later

Embed "Stand Down and Bubble Up" Into Your Culture Now So You'll Be Ready Later

Embed "Stand Down and Bubble Up" Into Your Culture Now So You'll Be Ready Later

Recently, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III ordered a "DOD-wide stand down to discuss the problem of extremism in the ranks (1)." ...

Derek Cabrera

Feb 4, 20214 min read

Old or New, Organizational Culture Must Be Built

Old or New, Organizational Culture Must Be Built

Old or New, Organizational Culture Must Be Built

All this talk of culture is of course useless if it’s not implemented. Noting how difficult culture is to define and pinpoint for...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Sep 21, 20202 min read

Culture with Consequences

Culture with Consequences

Culture with Consequences

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of Flock Not Clock. By definition, all groups (including organizational members) are...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Sep 16, 20203 min read

Core Tenets of Organizational Culture

Core Tenets of Organizational Culture

Core Tenets of Organizational Culture

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of Flock Not Clock. Members of your organization will share a large number of mental models, all...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Sep 15, 20202 min read

Learn by Example

Learn by Example

Learn by Example

One of the specific and practical things you can do to build a culture of mental models is to get the entire leadership team to assume...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Sep 13, 20202 min read

Failure Is Feedback

Failure Is Feedback

Failure Is Feedback

This post is adapted from Chapter 5 of Flock Not Clock. Humans are adept learners: we even learn when things go bad. If at first you...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Sep 8, 20202 min read

Build a Culture of Learning by Capacity Hacking

Build a Culture of Learning by Capacity Hacking

Build a Culture of Learning by Capacity Hacking

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Flock Not Clock. As a leader, you want to build into your culture an appreciation of and...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Sep 3, 20203 min read

Core Values: A System of Capacity

Core Values: A System of Capacity

Core Values: A System of Capacity

This post was adapted from Chapter 4 of Flock Not Clock. What are core values, and why does every company feel compelled to create and...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Sep 1, 20202 min read

“The Purpose of a System Is What It Does.”

“The Purpose of a System Is What It Does.”

“The Purpose of a System Is What It Does.”

This post is adapted from Chapter 4 of Flock Not Clock. We must sound a cautionary note on evaluating whether capacity and mission...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 31, 20205 min read

Capacity and Mission Must Be Aligned

Capacity and Mission Must Be Aligned

Capacity and Mission Must Be Aligned

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Flock Not Clock. When the linkage between capacity and mission is broken or “de-coupled”...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 30, 20203 min read

The Things You Do Every Day Build Capacity

The Things You Do Every Day Build Capacity

The Things You Do Every Day Build Capacity

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Flock Not Clock. In a fictitious example, let’s say our organization’s vision is to “Eradicate...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 30, 20201 min read

We Build Capacity to Do Our Mission

We Build Capacity to Do Our Mission

We Build Capacity to Do Our Mission

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Flock Not Clock. What is capacity? Capacity is a general term, used in disciplines from...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 26, 20203 min read

Why Do I Need A Mission?

Why Do I Need A Mission?

Why Do I Need A Mission?

This post is adapted from Chapter 3 of Flock Not Clock Why does your organization need a mission? How else does any collective know...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 25, 20203 min read

Mission Confusion Abounds!

Mission Confusion Abounds!

Mission Confusion Abounds!

This blog is an excerpt from Chapter 3 of Flock Not Clock. Starting in the 1980s, there was tremendous pressure to create a mission...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 24, 20203 min read

How Could We Go So Wrong With Something So Important?

How Could We Go So Wrong With Something So Important?

How Could We Go So Wrong With Something So Important?

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of Flock Not Clock. There’s a reason that there are articles in Inc. titled “The 9 Worst Mission...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 22, 20202 min read

Can A Visionless Organization Succeed?

Can A Visionless Organization Succeed?

Can A Visionless Organization Succeed?

If the right kind of Vision is so important, what explains companies that succeed with no [discernible] Vision? This is an important...

Derek Cabrera

Aug 15, 20205 min read

Vision Gives Us A Shared Purpose

Vision Gives Us A Shared Purpose

Vision Gives Us A Shared Purpose

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of Flock Not Clock. Social scientists have long understood the importance humans attach to a sense...

Derek & Laura Cabrera

Aug 12, 20202 min read

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