Complexity, risk and collaboration
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Transcript of Complexity, risk and collaboration
04/18/2304/18/23 Christopher Wilson & AsscoaitesChristopher Wilson & Asscoaites 11
Complexity, CollaborationComplexity, Collaboration
& Learning While Doing& Learning While Doing
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Not all Issues are AlikeNot all Issues are Alike Simple IssuesSimple Issues
Straightforward, ends and means are clearly evident, problem solving Straightforward, ends and means are clearly evident, problem solving is recipe-like and easily replicable, no special expertise is required, is recipe-like and easily replicable, no special expertise is required, experimentation is possible although there is little need for it and experimentation is possible although there is little need for it and there is high confidence of success. Eg. Baking a cake.there is high confidence of success. Eg. Baking a cake.
Complicated IssuesComplicated Issues Ends may be clear but the means are less so, requiring a process Ends may be clear but the means are less so, requiring a process
among experts to define. Many logically connected elements. Experts among experts to define. Many logically connected elements. Experts lay out a narrow path for success that has little tolerance for lay out a narrow path for success that has little tolerance for experimentation but high confidence in success if all the right experts experimentation but high confidence in success if all the right experts have been brought together. The process is transferable to other have been brought together. The process is transferable to other similar circumstances if followed exactly. Eg. Building a bridge.similar circumstances if followed exactly. Eg. Building a bridge.
Complex ‘Wicked’ IssuesComplex ‘Wicked’ Issues Uncertainty is high because both ends and means are unclear and Uncertainty is high because both ends and means are unclear and
must be learned simultaneously. Issue elements may be unknown or must be learned simultaneously. Issue elements may be unknown or unknowable and may evolve over time. Solutions require the unknowable and may evolve over time. Solutions require the construction of positive relationships in order to share multiple construction of positive relationships in order to share multiple perspectives and contributions. Experience is no guarantee of perspectives and contributions. Experience is no guarantee of success. Solutions may be optimized for a given moment but are success. Solutions may be optimized for a given moment but are imperfect or incomplete. Each situation is unique and solutions are imperfect or incomplete. Each situation is unique and solutions are rarely transportable. Eg. Transforming a community.rarely transportable. Eg. Transforming a community.
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Issue Issue ComplexityComplexity
Context
Technology
Resources
Business
Action
Interdependence
Political
Stakeholders
Knowledge
Shared Goals
Complexity Increases with Increases in the Number of Risks and Uncertainties
Work Coupling
Time
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Complexity Encourages Complexity Encourages CollaborationCollaboration
Complexity breeds uncertaintyComplexity breeds uncertainty Since the goals and the means to achieve them must be Since the goals and the means to achieve them must be
learned together, one is never certain whether the right learned together, one is never certain whether the right goal is being pursued or whether one has sufficient goal is being pursued or whether one has sufficient knowledge, resources or power to achieve it. This risk is knowledge, resources or power to achieve it. This risk is mitigated somewhat by distributing it among others.mitigated somewhat by distributing it among others.
Ashby’s law of requisite varietyAshby’s law of requisite variety Match the complexity of the issue with the complexity of Match the complexity of the issue with the complexity of
the solutionthe solution With the distribution of knowledge, resources (both With the distribution of knowledge, resources (both
human and financial), and power (authority and human and financial), and power (authority and mandate), no one is fully in control. Shared mandate), no one is fully in control. Shared governance becomes the only effective means of governance becomes the only effective means of coordination.coordination.
With the awareness that we can’t do it alone, we open With the awareness that we can’t do it alone, we open ourselves to the idea of collaborationourselves to the idea of collaboration
And yet…And yet…
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A Practitioner’s View of A Practitioner’s View of CollaborationCollaboration
“ “Collaboration is an unnatural act between Collaboration is an unnatural act between non-consenting adults.”non-consenting adults.”
“ “We all say we want to collaborate, but We all say we want to collaborate, but what we really mean is that we want to what we really mean is that we want to continue doing things as we have always continue doing things as we have always done them while others change to fit what done them while others change to fit what we are doing.”we are doing.”
Former US Surgeon General, Jocelyn EldersFormer US Surgeon General, Jocelyn Elders
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Collaboration Needs Re-Collaboration Needs Re-LearningLearning
While children collaborate spontaneously, While children collaborate spontaneously, most adults have been taught: most adults have been taught: someone is always in charge, someone is always in charge, problems have simple solutions,problems have simple solutions, people can be compelled to cooperate,people can be compelled to cooperate, accountability must be imposed & mistakes accountability must be imposed & mistakes
punished,punished, the problem lies in changing someone else’s the problem lies in changing someone else’s
behaviour, andbehaviour, and answers & actions are more important than answers & actions are more important than
dialogue.dialogue. Collaboration depends on our sense of Collaboration depends on our sense of
belonging (how we are together) and on the belonging (how we are together) and on the quality of our exchanges with each other (the quality of our exchanges with each other (the conversations we hold amongst ourselves). conversations we hold amongst ourselves).
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Practices That Make It WorkPractices That Make It Work Socialization practicesSocialization practices
Pre-collaboration, getting to possibility, purpose, Pre-collaboration, getting to possibility, purpose, modicum of trustmodicum of trust
Design PracticesDesign Practices Structuring the process w/o structuring the Structuring the process w/o structuring the
outcomeoutcome Engagement PracticesEngagement Practices
Empowerment, personalizing, building Empowerment, personalizing, building ownership & commitmentownership & commitment
Trust practicesTrust practices Building confidence, re-affirming trustworthiness Building confidence, re-affirming trustworthiness
& moral contracting& moral contracting
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Practices That Make It Work Practices That Make It Work (cont’d)(cont’d)
Governance practicesGovernance practices Purpose, principles, people, concepts, structure & Purpose, principles, people, concepts, structure &
processesprocesses Working to consensus & multiple accountabilitiesWorking to consensus & multiple accountabilities
Operational PracticesOperational Practices Appropriate & fair sharing of risks, rewards & Appropriate & fair sharing of risks, rewards &
workloadworkload Learning practicesLearning practices
Developing common languageDeveloping common language Learning while doing & double loop learningLearning while doing & double loop learning
Information practicesInformation practices Satisfying learning, contingent cooperation & Satisfying learning, contingent cooperation &
multiple accountabilitiesmultiple accountabilities
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Collaboration is a process of Collaboration is a process of ……
Building trusted relationshipsBuilding trusted relationships Bringing into existence shared possibilityBringing into existence shared possibility Reconciling the metaphors which guide Reconciling the metaphors which guide
our various experiences & knowledge, our various experiences & knowledge, leading to discovery and shared leading to discovery and shared innovation innovation
Heuristic (trial & error) learning by doingHeuristic (trial & error) learning by doing Demonstrating our value to each otherDemonstrating our value to each other Community building & creating a sense Community building & creating a sense
of belongingof belonging
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Collaboration Leads To… Collaboration Leads To… Effective dissemination and exchange of Effective dissemination and exchange of
information,information, Knowledge collaborationKnowledge collaboration and frame and frame
reconciliation,reconciliation, Collective learning, Collective learning, Shared ownership and decision making, Shared ownership and decision making, Rigorous feedback & accountability,Rigorous feedback & accountability, Innovation,Innovation, Shared commitment,Shared commitment, The development of new resources, and The development of new resources, and
most importantlymost importantly The effective and efficient implementation The effective and efficient implementation
of collaborative endeavours.of collaborative endeavours.
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At Christopher Wilson & At Christopher Wilson & AssociatesAssociates
Let Us Help You To Collaborate…Let Us Help You To Collaborate… To forge better results To build a future you want to live
into To create a nourishing community And a place of belonging
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Thank youThank you
Christopher Wilson & AssociatesChristopher Wilson & Associates
PO Box 62024PO Box 62024
Ottawa, ONOttawa, ON
K1C 7H8K1C 7H8
[email protected]@christopherwilson.ca
Tel: 613-355-6505Tel: 613-355-6505