Tools for Managing in a Complex Context

Given the ambiguities of the complex domain, how can leaders lead effectively? 

Open up the discussion

Complex contexts require more interactive communication than any of the other domains. Large group methods (LGMs), for instance, are efficient approaches to initiating democratic, interactive, multidirectional discussion sessions. Here, people generate innovative ideas that help leaders with development and execution of complex decisions and strategies. For example, “positive deviance” is a type of LGM that allows people to discuss solutions that are already working within the organization itself, rather than looking to outside best practices for clues about how to proceed. The Plexus Institute used this approach to address the complex problem of hospital-acquired infections, resulting in behavior change that lowered the incidence by as much as 50%.

Set barriers

Barriers limit or delineate behavior. Once the barriers are set, the system can self-regulate within those boundaries. The founders of eBay, for example, created barriers by establishing a simple set of rules. Among them are pay on time, deliver merchandise quickly, and provide full disclosure on the condition of the merchandise. Participants police themselves by rating one another on the quality of their behavior.

Stimulate attractors

Attractors are phenomena that arise when small stimuli and probes (whether from leaders or others) resonate with people. As attractors gain momentum, they provide structure and coherence. Ebay again provides an illustrative example. In 1995, founder Pierre Omidyar launched an offering called Auction Web on his personal website. His probe, the first item for sale, quickly morphed into eBay, a remarkable attractor for people who want to buy and sell things. Today, sellers on eBay continue to provide experimental probes that create attractors of various types. One such probe, selling a car on the site, resonated with buyers, and soon automobile sales became a popular attractor.

Encourage dissent and diversity

Dissent and formal debate are valuable communication assets in complex contexts because they encourage the emergence of well-forged patterns and ideas. A “ritual dissent” approach, for instance, puts parallel teams to work on the same problem in a large group meeting environment. Each team appoints a spokesperson who moves from that team’s table to another team’s table. The spokesperson presents the first group’s conclusions while the second group listens in silence. The spokesperson then turns around to face away from the second team, which rips into the presentation, no holds barred, while the spokesperson listens quietly. Each team’s spokesperson visits other tables in turn; by the end of the session, all the ideas have been well dissected and honed. Taking turns listening in silence helps everyone understand the value of listening carefully, speaking openly, and not taking criticism personally.

Manage starting conditions and monitor for emergence

Because outcomes are unpredictable in a complex context, leaders need to focus on creating an environment from which good things can emerge, rather than trying to bring about predetermined results and possibly missing opportunities that arise unexpectedly. Many years ago, for instance, 3M instituted a rule allowing its researchers to spend 15% of their time on any project that interested them. One result was a runaway success: the Post-it Note.