The Problem of Mechanistic Thinking

About this episode

David interviews Blair about the complexities of viewing businesses as adaptive organisms rather than simple machines.

David interviews Blair about his recent article in which he explores how our businesses are not simple machines that can be tuned (or killed) with specific wrenches, but they are complex adaptive organisms that we need to understand differently. LINKS "Your Business Is Not a Machine" by Blair Enns for winwitoutpitching.com "Innofficiency in Your Agency" 2Bobs episode "Grow or Die?" 2Bobs episode

People in this episode

Host: David C. Baker

Guest: Blair Enns

Topics covered

• mechanistic thinking
• business complexity
• adaptive organisms
• entrepreneurship
• management

Keywords

• mechanistic thinking
• business management
• entrepreneurship
• adaptive organisms
• business strategy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Your Business Is Not a Machine, Innofficiency in Your Agency, Grow or Die?

More episodes of 2Bobs—with David C. Baker and Blair Enns

• Three Patterns of Lost Opportunities · April 22, 2026 · 29 min
• Why Clients Come, Stay, and Leave · April 8, 2026 · 20 min
• Is AI Going to Kill Labor-based Pricing? · March 25, 2026 · 28 min
• If I Were Starting a New Firm · March 11, 2026 · 35 min
• Decoy or Anchor? · February 25, 2026 · 21 min
• We Are All Closet Socialists · February 11, 2026 · 20 min