I studied control systems for my engineering degree. The curriculum focused on teaching us the negative feedback control system. Such a type of control is essential in preventing a chemical reaction from getting into a runaway state. It is critical in maintaining the process output very close to the setpoint. On the other hand, a positive feedback control system amplifies the error signal and destabilizes the process. It made us believe that a positive feedback control system is worthless, and there are no applications for such a control strategy.
The negative feedback control system served me well as I designed and implemented advanced control strategies in a chemical plant. It reinforced my belief that positive feedback control systems are useless. Later, I worked for a Biotech company. I soon realized that many physiological activities, gene regulations, immune responses work on positive feedback. For example, during childbirth, when a contraction occurs, oxytocin stimulates the hypothalamus to produce more oxytocin, thus resulting in increased uterine contractions. Blood clotting, Lactation, Ovulation work on positive loops. After the desired biological goal is achieved, equilibrium is restored through the negative feedback control system.
In each case, a small lever turned a giant wheel and caused a disproportionate output.
I understood the utility of the positive feedback loop and took it to sales, marketing, and business development. It worked wonders there. I used it along with 80:20 (the Pareto Principle) to identify the top 20% of customers, products, segments, geographies. I shared product recommendations and information about our products. I spent more time and resources on these customers. I shared information and testimonials for other complementary products with them. I found that with the positive loop, fewer customers gave a disproportionate share of their business.
Subodh
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