II. Embrace Complexity We need to understand complexity & its implications

I. Take Responsibility

III. Practice Leadership

Embrace complexity:  The world and how we live and work together are becoming increasingly interconnected and massively more complex. Complex problems have unique characteristics that make them impossible to solve in our old ways. We need to understand complexity better, how the world really works and how we can better work together given the complexity of our human nature.  

The problems the world is facing now, including ecological damage, natural disasters, poverty, species loss, political upheaval, refugee trauma, and even health epidemics, can all be described as complex, that is, they are born of circumstances that are multi-causal and non-linear.

This complexity vexes the traditional problem-solving model of separating the problems into singularly defined parts and solving for the symptoms.

The very nature of complexity undermines the familiar mandate to define goals and strategies to achieve pre-envisioned, single sector solutions.

None of the issues above can be understood as stand-alone issues.

These issues are wrapped in contextual interdependencies that require an entirely different approach in assessment, and action.

Credit: Nora Bateson

In our new world, we need to acknowledge that our socio-technical systems are based on a complex and unpredictable web of connections and inter-dependencies.

Complexity thinking means being open, being a critical thinker, questioning everything, being prepared to have our most cherished opinions challenged or indeed shattered.

It involves changing our mindset and behavior and moving away from our traditional reductionist thinking approach to the world.

Furthermore, it means accepting volatility, unpredictability, uncertainty, confusion, and ambiguity and that in a complex world, a multitude of perspectives exists.

I have already talked about the challenge of complexity in the opening chapter of this book, but I talk about it in more detail in the chapter on complexity.

Principles of Conversational Leadership

1. I. Take Responsibility We need to take responsibility for the changes we wish to see in the world
2. II. Embrace Complexity We need to understand complexity & its implications
3. III. Practice Leadership We need to practice leadership
4. IV. Leverage the Power of Conversation We need to improve our conversational skills
5. V. Nurture Community We need to care more about each other

Posts that link to this post

•  Introduction: Conversational Leadership Conversational Leadership
•  Conversational Leadership Mindset Developing a Conversational Leadership mindset

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I. Take Responsibility

III. Practice Leadership

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