Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox and UncertaintyComplex Adaptive Leadership argues leadership should not be something only exercised by nominated leaders. It is a complex dynamic process involving all those engaged in a particular enterprise. The theoretical background to this lies in complexity science and chaos theory - spoken and written about in the context of leadership for the last 20 years, but still little understood. We all seem intuitively to know leadership 'isn't what it used to be' but we still cling to old assumptions which look anachronistic in changing and challenging times. Organisations and their contexts are increasingly paradoxical and uncertain. A broader approach to leadership is needed. Nick Obolensky has practised leadership in the public, private and voluntary sectors. He has also researched it, and taught it over many years in leading business schools. In this exciting book he brings together his knowledge of theory, his own experience, and the results of 15 years of research involving 1,500 executives in 40 countries around the world. The main conclusion from that research is that the more complex things become, the less traditional directive leadership is needed. Those operating in the real world, nonetheless, need ways of coping. The book is focused on helping practitioners struggling to interpret and react to increasingly complex events. Arranged in four parts, it provides a number of exercises, tools and models that will help the reader to understand: - why the context for leadership has changed, and why complexities in organisations have emerged - what complexity is and what lessons can be drawn from this emergent area of scientific study - how Complex Adaptive Leadership can be exercised in a very practical way at two levels: organisationally and individually, and how to get more for less - the actions that can be taken when Complex Adaptive Leadership is applied. The book will particularly appeal to practitioners wishing to add to their knowledge of leadership theory. |
Contents
A Journey of Discovery | 3 |
3 | 21 |
Finita La Comedia Stop Playing Charades | 33 |
A Quick Breather Between Parts I and II | 43 |
Chapter 5 | 70 |
22 The more connection points the more the complexity | 86 |
Getting to Grips with Chaos and Complexity | 93 |
1 Network of relationships is key | 98 |
What is Leadership Anyway? | 135 |
4 HerseyBlanchard Situational Leadership model adapted | 139 |
What About the Followers? | 145 |
1 Skillwill matrix | 147 |
Complex Adaptive Leadership in Action | 155 |
1 Complex Adaptive Leadership model basis | 160 |
8 Point attractor towards selforganisation | 168 |
15 Coaching attractor linked to questioning technique | 174 |
Getting Chaos and Complexity to Work | 101 |
1 Four + Four principles | 104 |
4 Barriers for leaders and followers | 110 |
6 Examples of skills needed | 117 |
9 Introduction of 360 degree feedback possible steps | 124 |
Figure B2 1 Paradoxical principles of Four + Four model | 132 |
Other editions - View all
Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox and Uncertainty Mr Nick Obolensky Limited preview - 2014 |
Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox and Uncertainty Mr Nick Obolensky Limited preview - 2014 |
Common terms and phrases
achieved action agree 9 ambiguity approach areas become behaviour bifurcation boundaries butterfly effect catalytic mechanisms cent chaos and complexity chaos mathematics chaos theory chaotic Chapter charade Collins Complex Adaptive Leadership complexity science context defined democracy deterministic Devolve dynamic emergence enable evolution example exercise feedback flow followers followership Four principles fractal Goal Focus individual Involve issue John Adair's knowledge lead leadership development let go look matrix motivation move Neutral non-deterministic objectives oligarchic assumption oligarchy organisation paradox particle phase space political polyarchy quantum mechanics questions Ricardo Semler Santa Fe Institute score seems self-organisation Sell shareholder shown in Figure shows simple rules Situational Leadership skill Skill/will strange attractor strategy Strongly agree Strongly Disagree style Taoism task Tell things traditional typical uncertainty underlying understand vote whilst Wisdom of Crowds wu wei Yin/Yang