Context
A solution gains meaning within an organisation, a culture and a history. Before prescribing an answer, understand how the situation works.
How I think
Understand the whole.
Act with judgement.
Complexity science studies systems whose interactions produce behaviour that is difficult to predict from their individual components alone. I use it as a framework for understanding organisations and learning.
A shift in perspective
From components
to relationships.
A data problem may reveal a problem of responsibility. A learning difficulty may arise from the context, trust or the way knowledge is connected.
This approach encourages me to examine interdependencies and feedback. A decision changes the system in which it is made; that system then reshapes the conditions for the next decision.
My use of complexity is practical. It helps me ask better questions, avoid overly narrow interpretations and develop actions whose effects we can observe.
“Making connections does not stop us making distinctions.
It helps us decide with sound judgement.”
Four reference points
Making room for what
changes the situation.
Interdependencies
Identify the people involved, information flows and responsibilities. Recognise tensions and possible consequences beyond the immediate scope.
Uncertainty
Distinguish what is established, what is assumed and what still needs exploring. Make decisions that can be revised as information changes.
Learning
Observe the effects of actions, share what we learn and adjust. The ability to evolve is part of making a good decision.
From perspective to method
An approach
that keeps moving.
Observe before concluding
Listen to different perspectives and describe how things actually work. Make the gaps between procedures, intentions and practice visible.
Connect to understand
Map dependencies, flows and responsibilities. Discuss possible consequences and the assumptions behind decisions.
Decide at the right level
Choose a proportionate action, clarify who can decide and define how its effects will be assessed.
Learn and adjust
Revisit the experience without reducing it to a verdict. Describe what has changed, what resists change and what needs adapting.