A633.2.3.RB - Butterfly Effect

Organizations are complex in structure and have dynamic networks of interactions and relationships.  Most organizations are self-organizing; having rules but providing freedom within that structure.  At my current organization, we are set up in a very similar structure, where we have a set of ‘rules’ and basic qualifications to perform your job, but you are given flexibility in terms of how you perform that job, as long as it aligns with the company’s philosophy.  In these types of structures, I believe providing an environment where there is freedom to make your own choices within a set structure can be positive to the overall attitude of the company.  It also helps to provide an environment where learning and growing are encouraged. 

While the positives of this structure are clear, this can lead to changes within the company as noted in the butterfly effect concept.  When employees at my company are given leeway to make their own choices about specific situations that occur for them, it can lead to a lot of Inconsistency company wide.  For example, if a customer comes in to a store requesting the use of a discount even though they do not have that specific discount and the employee gives it to them, the next time the customer could go in to another store somewhere else and assume they can use it again even if they forgot.  This can cause uncomfortable situations for the next employee that may encounter this issue, as they are faced with a situation of prior leniency that has turned into a pattern.  While it’s a small change, whether for customer service or lack of knowledge, it can lead to big changes in terms of monetary profits company wide, as well as company reputation through customer word of mouth. 

The butterfly effect can lead to both positive and negative changes in a company or organization.  It’s important to be aware of the small actions that we take on a daily basis while utilizing our freedom within structure.

Obolensky, N. (2010). Complex adaptive leadership embracing paradox and uncertainty. Farnham, Surrey: Gower.

A633.1.2.RB - Leadership Gap

Chapter 1 of the Obolensky text begins with a reflective exercise. Create a reflection blog that responds to the questions asked in this exercise.

Additionally, while we live in a world with more information about leadership and leadership practices why is it that we have an apparent gap in the quality of our leaders and how do you think we can close this gap?

As a child growing up and well into my college years, I have always had this impression that leaders and/or bosses knew everything and were the most knowledgeable members of any organization.  With this belief, I often felt inadequate to be in a leadership position because of a multitude of reasons.  I felt I learned and comprehended ideas slower than others, I felt that I didn’t have the outgoing personality, and most of all; I felt that I just simply did not know enough.  In return, I was often very timid and nervous to go into situations where I was supposedly in a position of more authority.  About halfway through college, I began to realize that no one really knows everything there is to know and the leaders in charge are not necessarily the more experienced or knowledgeable.  I used to think that I could never be a leader, so I ignored any passions or dreams I had that required me to take charge.  As I have gotten older and have had more experience and exposure to leadership, I realize that leadership is not always about what I believed it to be about.  While I am still working on accepting that I am capable of leading in situations, I realize that leadership is about way more than I thought it was. 

This is a notion that Oblensky mentions as a changing perception of leadership.  While I may have been a bit slow to the pick up of this changing trend amongst my generation, Oblensky notes that the older generations followed the same belief I took toward leadership – that the leader was the most knowledgeable, therefore I will follow them happily.  A lot of these changes can be pinpointed not necessarily to a generation gap, but more so a change in context which inherently changes with generations.   Oblensky also discusses another change in our society, and that is between yin and yang.  He notes that our society has been mostly yang based, however, we are starting to see a shift in that approach and belief, which in turn, causes more of a shake up in the way we perceive our leaders to be. 

I feel that we are still going through a transition.  As a society, we are always changing and fluctuating, but with the recent growth in technology and changes in our social system, the transition is more severe than normal.  The Taoist state of ‘wu-wei’ is a perfect description of this.  Meaning ‘inaction’, wu-wei’ is essentially acting without effort, or waiting to act when the time is right or when needed. While our society is changing, it is important to not force that change and to instead, just go with the flow. 

Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex adaptive leadership embracing paradox and uncertainty. Farnham, Surrey: Gower.