Play the chaos game with a group of people (see
Complex Adaptive Leadership (Obolensky, 2010) Chapter 6, or watch the above
video.
Create a reflection blog on what this exercise
meant to you and how it impacts your understanding of chaos theory, include the
implications that this has on strategy.
This exercise was pretty interesting to watch. I
have to admit that when I first started to watch the video I didn’t know what
to expect. I was intrigued to see how the individuals in the video would react
when they received instructions on what to do. At first the individuals seemed
confused as to how to begin or what to accomplish, however when their
counterparts started to move they it appeared as though there was a silent
communication amongst each other as to how to complete the task. The
individuals seemed to follow the directions of not just the instructor, but
each other without having to say a word.
I think the exercise helped to show that the
individuals in the group were able to assist each other and get to an end goal
without the need of a leader of the group. In fact the idea behind the exercise
is to show us that a leader is completely unnecessary sometimes especially in
complex situations. It shows how complex adaptive systems can be used in both
large and small organizations in order to achieve optimal results. The number
of possible solutions to complex situations are immense showing us that highly
complex tasks can be given to a vast amount of employees who are able to figure
things out for themselves. In times and situations like these it also shows how
people band together to get the job done.
After watching this exercise my understanding of
chaos theory broadened completely as I was able to see firsthand how a complex task
could be completed by a large group of people with no one individual providing
them instructions. While I knew this was possible, the simplicity of the exercise
made me realize how much more this could be used in my own organization even
for the more complex task that always seem the need to be directed by upper
level management. The exercise made me want to branch out a little bit longer in
my own department and try to indulge myself in more complex situations in order
to get a good grasp of how to deal with complex situations at a higher level.
I think this exercise shows how strategy can be implemented
especially with a large group and what that group can be capable of when
dealing with excessive high complex situations. The strategy behind how a
resolution is achieved is important because it offers a basis for strategically
developing an effective non deterministic approach to an organizations
structure.
Cassandra
R.
