Ever think you don't have systems in every part of your business? Think again.

That's the core insight from my recent conversation with O'Brien McMahon on The People Business Podcast. Whether you realize it or not, the way you run your business is a system, it might just be a chaotic one.

O'Brien and I dove deep into what systems thinking actually means and why it's the difference between businesses that scale smoothly and those that stay stuck fighting fires.

The Truth About Systems

Here's what most people miss: you already have systems. The question isn't whether you have them—it's whether they're designed to get you the results you want.

As Charlie Munger said, "Show me the incentives, and I'll show you the results." Your systems create your incentives, and your incentives drive your outcomes. If you're not getting the growth you want or you're watching opportunities slip through the cracks, your systems are telling you exactly what's wrong.

The creative who says "the universe tells me what to do" still has a system. Maybe they need a walk before designing. Maybe they journal before going on stage. It's all systems supporting what we're trying to accomplish.

Start Where You're Leaking

O'Brien shared a brilliant framework I want you to steal: don't rebuild everything from scratch. Instead, ask yourself: Where am I leaking right now?

Are you leaking sales opportunities? Energy? Attention to detail? Anxiety?

Find your biggest leak, fix that one thing, work it until it becomes habit, then move to the next leak. This iterative approach beats the comprehensive overhaul every single time.

The Consistency Advantage

Leaders who are clear on their vision and how they execute get consistent results. The chaotic ones? Sometimes they win big, sometimes they don't. The difference comes down to consistency.

Your systems should connect your leading indicators to your lagging indicators. Why aren't you growing your email list? Why are customers dropping off at checkout? Your systems will tell you if you've designed them to measure what matters.

My Systems Origin Story

I learned this from my dad, a German electrician who ran his own business. Everything was systematic—how he set up his day, executed his work, and followed through on billing. I saw it all working alongside him.

That gift of systematic thinking is why I named the podcast Systematic Leader. The leaders who understand their systems and execute consistently are the ones who transform their businesses from reactive chaos to proactive growth engines.

The Annual Systems Check-Up

Here's your homework: step back at least once a year and map how all your systems connect. You'll find systems that aren't working as well as they used to, broken processes, and opportunities to double down on what's working.

This exercise shows your team you're not here to do the minimum, you're committed to improving every single day. That standard-setting matters more than you think.

Start Where It's Uncomfortable

O'Brien nailed it at the end of our conversation: "It's probably gonna be most effective in the area you least wanna do it."

The thing you're avoiding? That's probably your biggest opportunity. Don't try to jog eight miles on day one. Build a small system that gets you going for five minutes. Make it routine. Watch the results compound.

When you see customers coming back more and referring more because of one small systematic change, that's when you realize: this actually works.

Your Next Step

Pick one area where you're leaking: time, money, opportunities, or energy. Design one small system to plug that leak. Work it for 30 days.

That's how you transform from firefighter to growth engine.

Want help identifying where your systems are breaking down? Take the 5-minute Customer Experience Assessment at systematicleader.co and let's find those hidden leaks before they become expensive problems.

Thanks you O'Brien McMahon

Why Your Chaos IS a System with Karl Staib