Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO, writer and keynote speaker. She is currently a part-time lecturer at the University of Bath School of Management in England. The voice of leadership | Margaret Heffernan WebsiteMargaret HeffernanWikipediaMargaret HeffernanLinkedinMargaret HeffernanX (Twitter)@M_HeffernanYouTubeMargaret HeffernanGoogleMargaret HeffernanTags: leadership (76) | Margaret Heffernan (1) | unintended consequences (14) | willful blindness (1)Google Web Continue reading Margaret Heffernan Author, mentor, teacher
Abstract Although innovation is one of the most commonly mentioned concepts in social science unintended undesirable consequences of innovation are rarely studied. This study does a literature review of all articles in the EBSCO database, with innovation in the title and which study undesirable consequences. We found only 26 such articles; 1 per 1000, a Continue reading Unintended and Undesirable Consequences of Innovation Karl-Erik Sveiby, Pernilla Gripenberg, Beata Segercrantz, Andreas Eriksson, Alexander Aminoff (2009)
Once upon a time, there was a Chinese farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors came around to commiserate. They said, “We are so sorry to hear your horse has run away. This is most unfortunate.” The farmer said, “Maybe.” The next day the horse came back bringing seven wild horses with it, and in the evening everybody came … | Alan Watts Continue reading The Story of the Chinese Farmer Alan Watts
Unintended consequences get to the heart of why you never really understand an adaptive problem until you have solved it. Problems morph and “solutions” often point to deeper problems. In social life, as in nature, we are walking on a trampoline. Every inroad reconfigures the environment we tread on. | The Power of Positive Deviance Continue reading We Are Walking on a Trampoline Richard Pascale, Jerry Sternin, Monique Sternin
The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity, and it’s really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad — because you never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune. | Alan Watts Continue reading Nature Is an Integrated Process of Immense Complexity Alan Watts
Navigating challenges is crucial, but the type of challenge matters greatly. There are two categories: technical challenges with known solutions and complex adaptive challenges that are messy, ambiguous, evolving, and require flexibility. Recognizing the distinction is essential for effective responses and meaningful outcomes. Continue reading Technical Challenges and Complex Adaptive Challenges Distinguishing between straightforward and complex challenges
Unintended consequences are outcomes of an action that are not intended or foreseen. Most such consequences are undesirable. Continue reading Unintended Consequences In a complex system, every purposeful action produces unintended consequences
Humans have existed for a mere 200,000 years. Nonetheless, our impact on the Earth has been so significant that scientists are proposing that this period in the Earth’s history should be named the ‘Anthropocene’ — the age of humans. Continue reading The Anthropocene The age of humans
We have entered a new world that is increasingly dynamic and hyperconnected. This has massive consequences for us. Continue reading Our World Is Hyperconnected The world is an increasingly connected place
In Plato’s Phaedrus, Socrates shares the myth of Thamus and Theuth, questioning the invention of writing. Writing, he argues, weakens memory and offers the appearance of wisdom without true understanding. Socrates suggests that serious discourse using the dialectic method is a nobler pursuit, leading to genuine wisdom and happiness. Continue reading The Myth of Thamus and Theuth Does writing allow the pretense of understanding, rather than true understanding?
Change is a constant aspect of our lives, gradually shaping our identities. However, we face difficulties when attempting to change others’ behaviors. Direct attempts to control or coerce usually result in resistance and unintended consequences. Embracing a conversational approach can help us navigate change more effectively, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration. Continue reading Changing People ** The challenge of trying to change people
