Conjugate Health

I started my career designing radio circuits and, in particular, the circuits that go between transmitters and aerials. The ideal situation would occur when one could achieve a ‘Conjugate Match’ because under those conditions maximum power gets transferred through the network. While reading into the theory of these systems I came across a very elegant mathematical proof that said when any one junction is conjugately matched, then the whole system is conjugately matched. Many years later I’ve come to appreciate how true this is for health as well.

In an optimally healthy body every organ is getting the fuel and nutrition it needs, blood flows freely through the arteries and veins, the heart rate adjusts to the demand and the muscles are optimally matched to the workload required. Physically it’s like a super efficient and adaptive system with all organs working perfectly in unison. Things start to go wrong when we introduce stresses beyond the range the body expects or can cope with. For example, the body didn’t evolve to breathe cigarette smoke, drink beer or to eat candy. When we subject our bodies to such stresses it does its best to adjust but inevitably we cause damage. – I often think of eating sugary foods as racing up the motorway in 3^rd gear. We can do it for a while but we won’t be surprised that we damage the car.

Just as often we’ll encounter problems at work. Each person brings their individual talents and personalities to work and everyone wants to succeed. But we’ve all experienced situations where office politics and personalities hinder progress or cause a communication / collaboration failure. In such situations those involved are certainly not ‘conjugately matched’. It’s a world away from the buzzing motivated office full of energetic and helpful camaraderie borne of a shared objective and values.

Each situation has the same cure. In the circuits we look to match impedances to achieve maximum power transfer. In the body we seek the optimum balance between our fuel and nutrition requirements and the foodstuffs we ingest so that we provide the types expected by our gut bacteria. In the organisation we communicate clearly, do what we say we will and generally match expectations and performance. When teams and departments work this way, and consider the needs of their colleagues in the wider business, then maximum power is released into their operations. When they don’t, the stage is set for political infighting, suspicion, lack of commitment or accountability and poor results.

So, how close is your system to being conjugately matched?

·         Are you getting the nutrition, exercise and rest you need to ensure optimum health in your body?

·         Is your workgroup getting the flow of materials, the stretching production tasks and the analysis / reflection time to ensure peak capability and optimum learning?

·         Is everyone in your department communicating clearly and working diligently and collaboratively toward a shared objective?

To restore balance in your system and stop the scream of 3^rd gear, call Paul at Action Centred Health, on 07876 741679.

©Paul Curran,   12^th May 2012