Structure Defines Direction: Maneuvering Through Complexity and the Unknowns

This presentation looks at how structure defines direction in a non-anchored vision, "whitewater world" of complex adaptive systems (CAS).

Transcript

1. STRUCTURE DEFINES DIRECTION Maneuvering Through Complexity and the Unknowns
2. Thus, never attribute malice, ignorance, or stupidity to something that can be adequately explained by different information. “The Blind Men & the Elephant” The parable of The Blind Men and The Elephant tells the story of six blind men who examine one part of an elephant, and each come to very different conclusions on what an elephant is. They are all partly right but also all entirely wrong. The information we have about the world represents a tiny fraction of the information available, yet we use it to form a view of how the world works.
3. AGENDA WHAT? Facts SO WHAT? Insights NOW WHAT? This is what you can Do HOW STRUCTURE DEFINES DIRECTION: Maneuvering Through Complexity and the Unknowns
4. Past State of Operations Current State of Operations Is Like Living in a “Whitewater World” No Anchor…Drifting
5. But without an anchor, you tend to drift with no direction which can produce doubts that can Lead to Hopelessness
6. Living in a Whitewater world world is like living in a Complex Adaptive System (CAS)
7. A Complex Adaptive System (CAS) co-evolves continuously and interacts with the environment through adaptation
8. No Anchor While Working in a Whitewater World
9. AGENDA WHAT? Facts SO WHAT? Insights NOW WHAT? This is what you can Do
10. No Anchor While Working in a Whitewater World …Can Influence Internal Doubts
11. Internal Doubts Can Cause Hopelessness • When Your Identity Is Unclear • When Your Purpose is Undefined • When Your Future is Uncertain
12. What Is Your Team’s Identity? Is it Unclear? When Your Team’s Purpose? Is it Undefined? What is the Future of Your Team? Is it Uncertain?
13. AGENDA WHAT? Facts SO WHAT? Insights NOW WHAT? This is what you can Do
14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_4z-dfA6PY&t=183s
15. Structure Defines Direction Team-Level Structure Organizational-Level Structure Hackman’s Five Conditions That Foster and Support Effective Self-Management (1) clear, engaging direction (2) an enabling performing unit structure (3) a supportive organizational context (4) available, expert coaching (5) adequate material resources
16. Larman's Laws of Organizational Behavior (Observations) 1. Organizations are implicitly optimized to avoid changing the status quo middle- and first-level manager and “specialist” positions & power structures. – This is Inclusive of an Agile Services Team since they are managed by middle and first-level management 2. As a corollary to (1), any change initiative will be reduced to redefining or overloading the new terminology to mean basically the same as status quo. 3. As a corollary to (1), any change initiative will be derided as “purist”, “theoretical”, “revolutionary”, "religion", and “needing pragmatic customization for local concerns” — which deflects from addressing weaknesses and manager/specialist status quo. 4. As a corollary to (1), if after changing the change some managers and single-specialists are still displaced, they become “coaches/trainers” for the change, frequently reinforcing (2) and (3), and creating the false impression ‘the change has been done’, deluding senior management and future change attempts, after which they become industry consultants. 5. (in large established orgs) Culture follows structure. And in tiny young orgs, structure follows culture.
17. Table 7-1. Key differences between traditional organizations and an enterprise of the future Enterprise of the Future Conceptual Framework
18. • Hierarchies and matrices need to be replaced by fluid, agile, social networks and communities. • Process models can no longer focus solely on tasks but must include streamlined decision flows. • In the compressed time cycles of today’s world, the right decisions need to be made quickly and consistently at points dispersed from central authority. • This demands coming up with entirely new decision models, supported by real-time collaboration tools and self-organizing networking environments.
19. The Enterprise of the Future is a self-organizing, adaptive, learning network of social knowledge entrepreneurs achieving mutual goals • Quickly learn and adapt to changes in the environment • Find value where others can’t • Make enlightened business decisions • Quickly and effectively carry out those decisions • Measure outcomes and make adjustments • Continuously innovate – driving the changes in the market rather than vice versa.
21. Questions?