Five Root System Categories
Organizations need multiple root systems, not just one.
Organizations need multiple root systems, not just one. Like trees need taproots AND lateral roots, companies need depth AND breadth across five distinct infrastructure categories: Financial Reserves, Relationship Depth, Knowledge Systems, Proprietary Capability, and Cultural Foundation.
When to Use Five Root System Categories
Use when planning infrastructure investments, assessing organizational resilience, or diagnosing why growth is creating operational strain. Prioritize categories based on your industry.
How to Apply
Financial Reserves (Taproot)
Deep water access - cash reserves, credit lines, revenue stability
Questions to Ask
- How many months can you survive without new revenue?
- Minimum: 6 months, Healthy: 12-18 months, Robust: 24+ months
Outputs
- Months of runway
- Reserve building plan
Relationship Depth (Lateral Roots)
Suppliers, partners, customers, employees - could someone offer 10% better pricing and pull them away?
Questions to Ask
- Are relationships transactional, integrated, or interdependent?
- How long would it take to rebuild if a key relationship ended?
Outputs
- Relationship depth assessment
- Partnership deepening priorities
Knowledge Systems (Soil Network)
What your organization knows that isn't in any individual's head
Questions to Ask
- Are key processes in someone's head (failure), documented (transferable), or systematized (anyone can pick up)?
- What happens if your top 3 people leave tomorrow?
Outputs
- Documentation gaps
- Knowledge capture plan
Proprietary Capability (Deep Minerals)
What can you do that competitors can't easily copy?
Questions to Ask
- How long would it take a well-funded competitor to match your core capabilities?
- Better execution (catchable), 3-5 year lead, or 10+ year accumulated advantage?
Outputs
- Capability moat assessment
- Deepening investment plan
Cultural Foundation (Microbial Ecosystem)
Trust, values alignment, decision-making norms, communication patterns
Questions to Ask
- Is culture reactive (we do things because we always have), explicit (we know why), or self-reinforcing (new members acculturated naturally)?
- Can you articulate your values without looking them up?
Outputs
- Cultural health assessment
- Reinforcement priorities