Most leaders try to understand behaviour through psychology or culture. But organisations behave far more like physical systems than emotional ones.

They follow laws of:

• load

• friction

• flow

• resistance

• drift

• structural integrity

When leaders understand these forces, behaviour stops looking mysterious. It becomes predictable — and fixable.

1. Load: Every system has a maximum capacity

In physics, every structure can only hold so much load before it bends, cracks, or collapses.

Organisations are the same.

When load is too high:

• people slow down

• errors increase

• decisions stall

• communication breaks down

• readiness collapses

This isn’t about motivation. It’s physics.

Real example: A practice manager drowning in “just one more thing”

A clinic kept adding small tasks:

• new reporting

• new compliance checks

• new forms

• new KPIs

Each one seemed minor. But together, they exceeded the system’s load.

The result?

• delays

• frustration

• rework

• staff turnover

The system wasn’t resistant — it was overloaded.

2. Friction: Small inefficiencies multiply under pressure

In physics, friction slows movement and increases energy consumption.

In organisations, friction looks like:

• unclear processes

• missing information

• duplicated work

• inconsistent decisions

• unnecessary approvals

Friction consumes readiness.

Real example: A hospital where every shift starts 10 minutes late

Not because staff are lazy — but because:

• computers take too long to log in

• handover is inconsistent

• equipment isn’t where it should be

Ten minutes of friction × 3 shifts × 7 days × 200 staff = thousands of hours lost.

Friction is a structural problem, not a people problem.

3. Flow: Work moves best through clear pathways

In physics, flow is about how smoothly energy or material moves through a system.

In organisations, flow is about:

• how decisions move

• how information moves

• how work moves

When flow is blocked, everything slows.

Real example: A tech team waiting days for decisions

Developers were highly skilled and motivated. But decisions sat in inboxes for days.

Flow was blocked.

The team wasn’t slow — the system was.

4. Resistance: Systems push back when energy is applied too quickly

In physics, resistance increases when you apply force too fast.

Organisations behave the same way.

When leaders push change too quickly:

• people push back

• confusion increases

• errors rise

• trust drops

This isn’t emotional resistance — it’s structural resistance.

Real example: A retail chain rolling out a new POS system overnight

The rollout was fast. The resistance was immediate.

Not because staff didn’t want it — but because:

• training was rushed

• load was high

• routines were unstable

The system resisted the force.

5. Drift: Systems naturally move out of alignment over time

In physics, drift is the gradual movement away from a stable position.

In organisations, drift shows up as:

• inconsistent practices

• workarounds

• mixed messages

• unclear priorities

• local variations

Drift is normal — but dangerous if unmanaged.

Real example: A government team whose processes varied by team

Every team had its own version of the “standard process.” Not because they were rebellious — but because drift accumulated over time.

Drift reduces readiness unless leaders actively correct it.

6. Structural Integrity: Systems fail when the underlying architecture is weak

In physics, structural integrity determines whether a system can hold shape under pressure.

In organisations, structural integrity comes from:

• clear priorities

• stable routines

• predictable decisions

• manageable load

• coherent signals

When these weaken, the organisation becomes fragile.

Real example: A school that collapsed under a new curriculum

The curriculum wasn’t the problem. The structure was:

• too many initiatives

• too much load

• too little clarity

• too much drift

The system lacked structural integrity.

Practical takeaways leaders can use immediately

1. Diagnose load before diagnosing behaviour

Ask: “Is this a motivation issue or a load issue?” It’s almost always load.

2. Remove friction before adding effort

Fix the system, not the people.

3. Improve flow by clarifying decision pathways

Slow decisions are a structural failure, not a leadership failure.

4. Introduce change at a pace the system can absorb

Force creates resistance. Support creates movement.

5. Actively correct drift

Small misalignments become big problems if ignored.

6. Strengthen structural integrity before increasing pressure

A strong system can handle load. A weak system collapses under it.