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2 min read Leadership

The Constructal Law Protocol: How to Scale Output by 5x Using Physics

When targets are chronically missed, the problem is rarely effort. It’s physics. By applying Constructal Law to resource-scarce networks, I learned that you don't fix a system by adding force. You fix it by widening the channels where flow already exists.
The Constructal Law Protocol: How to Scale Output by 5x Using Physics
Flow Matters

Most leaders respond to chronic underperformance the same way:

More pressure. More targets. More short-term fixes.

When results don’t improve, they assume the problem is "Talent" or "Effort."

In my experience auditing distressed networks, the problem is almost always Physics.

The "Force" Trap
Before "distributed work" became a buzzword, I managed recruitment across vast rural networks where no new resources were coming.

  • No extra budget.
  • No surplus workforce.
  • No backup systems.

In these zero-sum environments, adding short-term relief (force) created long-term damage. Short locum placements increased handover risk. Training costs spiked. Continuity broke down.

The system didn’t need more activity. It needed better flow.

A Different Lens: Constructal Law
To fix the system, I stopped looking at HR manuals and started looking at Physics. Specifically, Constructal Law.

"For a flow system to persist in time, it must evolve in such a way that it provides easier access to the currents that flow through it." — Adrian Bejan

Most consultants diagnose systems by pointing out where things don't work (The Blockages).

I did the opposite. I asked: 

"Where is the system already flowing—and how do we widen that channel?"

The Operational Shift: Subtraction > Addition

Even in the most constrained environments, there was a signal. Some clinicians returned. Some placements lasted.
Instead of fighting the failures, I analyzed the "Returner DNA."

We stopped trying to recruit "everyone" (Force). We redesigned the infrastructure to remove friction for the specific profile that was already flowing (Geometry).

  1. We designed roles specifically for reoccurring locums.
  2. We treated continuity as a throughput multiplier, not a "nice to have."
  3. We aligned all logistics (housing, travel, credentialing) to the path of least resistance.

The Flywheel Effect
Over time, the results compounded. We reached a 95% Return Rate for locums.
That single metric unlocked the P&L:

  • Training costs dropped to near zero.
  • Patient outcomes stabilized.
  • Full-time physicians got true time off (reducing burnout risk).

Flow created trust. Trust increased flow. That is Constructal Law in action.

The Universal Lesson
This is not a recruitment lesson. It is a Systems Lesson.
Whether you are managing a Supply Chain, a Sales Pipeline, or Patient Flow: Stop fighting the current.

When targets are missed, do not add pressure.
Step back. Find where the momentum already exists.
And widen that channel.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  • The Problem: Organizations try to fix chronic underperformance by adding pressure (Budget/Headcount) rather than redesigning flow.
  • The Science: Constructal Law dictates that systems scale only when flow is made easier, not when effort is increased.
  • The Result: By shifting from "Force" to "Flow," we achieved a 95% retention rate and 1,300% capacity growth with $0 marketing spend.

Published by:

James Sitar

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