Leadership as dynamic wholeness making: Reflections on the … · 2020-01-10 · 1 Paper for the...

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Paper for the Poetics of Leadership Conference – Cumbria 2018 Leadership as dynamic wholeness making: Reflections on the holistic art and science of transformative leadership in a VUCA world Claudius van Wyk and Joshua P. Malkin Abstract In this paper we review leadership from the perspective of complexity theory and an emerging holistic science. We see leadership as creating wholeness in a fluid, dynamic environment. This means that leadership is less about problem solving and more about evolutionary co-creation. In a globalized connected world, leadership is increasingly required to deal with atypical situations characterized by a complex non-linear VUCA world – where events are unforeseen and even unpredictable. Hence the study of complex dynamical systems can provide useful insights with its concepts of dissipative structures, co-evolution, and autopoiesis. Rather than employing pre-packaged response models, situational immediacy calls for a coherent, creative leadership response more akin to poetry, rhythm and meaning-making. Naming wholeness, fragmented-ness and brokenness in order to more fully able to be and become - individually and together – through co-sensing and making meaningful, incisive choices is the work of leaders and poets. 146 words 18thAugust2018

Keywords

Chaordic,fitnesslandscape,dissipativestructures,co-evolution,autopoiesis,meaning-making,softpower,phenomenologicalempathy,VUCAas:volatility/uncertainty/complexity/ambiguity

Introduction

Onehelpfulwaytounderstandtheemergingnatureoforganisationsascomplexadaptivesystemsisthemeasurementmatrixofthefitnesslandscape,relatedtoenablingconditionsandresponsecapacities.Inthecontemporarybusinesslandscape,competitionisexponentiallyamplifiedbytrendsinthedigitalmarketplace/digitalpublicspace,whichthroughglobalconnectivityhasbeenopeneduptoall-comers.Asmoreplayers,inputsandexternalitieseffecttheorganisation,coherenceisinevitablyimpacted,identityischallengedandthroughfakenews,evenitspurposecanbecorroded.Becausetheyaredealingwithsomanypotentiallyinfluentialandcorruptinginformationstreams,insuchalandscapeorganisationsbecomehighlyenergized.Thisenhanceddisturbancecannegativelyreflectintheirculture,whichinturneffectsemotionsofthoseinvolved,generatingincreasedstressandanxiety.

Withcomplexenergydynamicscompounded,organisationsaremorepronetovolatilityandinstabilitytotheextentthattheycanbedescribedasincreasinglydissipativestructures,especiallyastheseenergeticstressespressureorganizationsawayfromcoherenceonthecontinuumfromequilibriumtowardschaos.Ontheglobalscalethefinancialcrisisof2008wassurelyafunctionofthesedynamics,astoowasthecollapseofCarilliononanationalscale.

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Theincreasedenergyflowinadigitalmarketplacethustendstopushorganisationstowardsfurtherdissipationunlesstheydevelopthesensitiveandagilecapacitytomanagetheseinfluences.Wherequantifiabilityisnolongerpossibleduetothecomplexnatureofthefitnesslandscape,newformsofleadershipcomeintotheirown.Thesehavebeencharacterizedvariouslyincludingaschaordicandpoetic.Theirstrengthistheirfocusondevelopingourinnercapabilitiesandhumannatureasbio-psycho-social-spiritualbeings.Leadershipisthusaboutthepreservationandincreaseofacertainkindofwholeness.Creativeleadershipincludesthecapabilitytocatalyseautopoiesisason-goinggenerative,self-organisationandre-invention.Theinterculturaldynamicsunleashedinthedigitallyinterconnectedglobaleconomy,accompaniedbythepotentiallydisruptivesocialandeconomicimpactoftechnology,addfurtherimpetustothephenomenonofacceleratingco-evolutionandemergence.‘Bestpractice’isshowntoapplylessinsuchacontext,whichcallsonleadershiptoshiftfromitstypicalrelianceontherationalanalysisofharddata,toafinerqualityofnuancedsensitivity,likeaseasonedsailor,whoevenwhenasleep,cansomehowunconsciouslysensechangesinwindforceanddirection.Anewwayof‘thinking’aboutany‘problemspace’isthusadvocatedtoincludeatransformedwayoffeelingandbeing-with-ness,thatembracesthephenomenonofsystemicsensingandintuiting.Metaphorsbasedinnatureratherthanmachinesbecomeappropriate.Onesuchisthewell-known,coordinated,instant,yetfluidmovementofmultipleactorsdescribedinmurmurationsofstarlings,thoughthiscouldequallybeappliedtosurfersorskiersinstantlyrespondingtowavesorsnowconditionsandtoeachother.Theyaccessaseeminglyinstantaneousknowingofwhen,andhow,toemployinternalandexternalenergyforoutstandingindividualandcollaborativeperformance.

Thedissipativestructuralnatureoforganisational‘being’requiresittoholditsforminastateofchange.It’s‘being’isnotcharacterisedbytheformofitsorganisation,butbythecapacitytoreformitsorganisation,holditspurposerelevanttoachangingworld,whilstremainingcoherentwithitsinformingandenliveningvalues.Sincelivingwholescontinuetoemergeandadapt,soleadersarepathfinderswiththeirteams.Theyembodythewholenessoftheorganisationandorientittowarditsvitalsuccesstherebyenablingtheparticipatingmember’sdeeperbecoming.Theorganization’spurposeandidentityservetodefineitsdirectional‘stance’intheworld.Shape-shiftinginitsadaptability,itstillmaintainsitsintegrity.Forthisenablement,aswehavesuggested,leadershiprequiresadeepersensingandintuitingcapacitycapableofharvestingtheintrinsicintelligenceofabroaderorganisationalfield-aphenomenontypicalofanylivingecology.Itpointstothepotentialshifttoa‘livingsystemsleadership”perspective.Thisbroaderorganisationalsensingcapacityenablesaccesstothedeeper‘creative-response-potential’fromboththeindividualsinallrolesandthebroaderfunctionalecology.Itinturnrequiresfine-tunedrelationalabilityandaninspiredsharedpurposecapableofcallingforthandinspiringself-orchestration.DeeHock(1999)hassuggestedthatwealreadyhavethatabilitywithinusandwesimplyneedtoallowitinourselvesandothersarounduswhilstdisablingtheblockstothatinherentcapacity.“Withoutquestion,themostabundant,leastexpensive,mostunderutilized,andconstantlyabusedresourceintheworldishumaningenuity….exceptionalperformancearisesfromtherelationshipsandinteractionofthosefromwhichitiscomposed.”Hockisperhapssuggestingthatifyouemploypeoplewhohavealreadyengagedtheirdeephumanity,leadershipwilltakecareofitself.Thisperspectivemakeseducationinandnurturingofastateof‘exquisiteattendance’evenmoresignificant-especiallyasitishardlytaughtinourschools,

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inouruniversitiesoreveninvokedinourchurches.Itisbeingabletoengageastateofinter-subjectivity,or‘phenomenologicalempathy’,thatinturnenablesqualitiesofpresence,agility,resilience,creativityandingenuitytoemerge.Sinceitispossibletodescribeanyemotionasenergyseekingpurpose,weneedtodetectthoseemotionalresponsesthatpreventenergyflowingtothesharedpurposeandoutcomethatconstitutesthedestinywecollectivelyseek.Inthistimeofacceleratingemergence,theapplicationofconventionalscientificmethodtypicallyofferedinmanagementschoolsmightthusratherbetransformedtoincludeleadershipacquiringmorecharacteristicsofanartform.Theshiftinfocuswillbetoexplorethe‘art’ofleadershipwhereengagingimageryandcompellingnarrativeaddmeaningful‘feeling’toactivatecreativeimagination.Theanticipatedqualityofenhancedengagementisintendedtoenableamorecreativeinterfacecapacitybetweenthedynamicpresentandbeckoningpotentialfutures.Whilstthenewcapacityofbigdataprocessingcanassistinthemoreaccurateanalysisofsituations,theappliedalgorithmsstilllargelyrelyonlinearprocessing,morerecentexperimentswithnon-linearself-learningapplicationsofartificialintelligencenotwithstanding.However,westressthegreaterimportanceofafinerqualityofleadershipsensingandintuitingwhichenablestheharvestingoftheintrinsicintelligencefromabroaderrangeofstakeholdersinsideandoutsidetheorganisation.Thisholisticstanceisbettercapableofsupporting‘leadershippoetics’anddiffersfrommoreconventionalapproachesinthatitoffersnewwaysof‘sensing’‘thinking’,‘articulating’and‘doing’.Itrequiresthepresenceto‘remaininprocess’whilstcomprehendingfromameta-perspectiveandrespondingsystemically.SouthAfricanphysicist,AdriaanDeLangeforexample,definesthatmeta-perspectivesystemicresponseandidentifiessevenessentialitiesofcreativitythatsupportit:

• The‘sureness’thatcomeswithadefinedsenseofpurpose• The‘wholeness’ofacomprehensiveeco-systemicfieldofrelationality• The‘otherness’thatensuresanuncompromisedidentity• The‘openness’thatenableslife-sustainingenergyflowsandenrichinginterdependence• The‘spare-ness’thatensuresitissufficientlyresourcedbutunburdenedwithenergy

dissipatingbaggage• The‘liveness’thatcomesfromavitalsenseofbeing/becoming• The‘fruitfulness’thatcomesfromtherecognitionofitsuniqueproductivequalitiescoupled

toingenuityIntriguingly,inthatorder,thesevenessentialitiescanbecorrelatedmetaphysicallytothehumanendocrinesystem:pineal,pituitary,thyroids,thymus,IsletsofLangerhans,adrenalsandgonads.Wewillreturntothisobservationintheconclusion.WhatHock’sconceptofchaordicleadershipperhapsispointingtoisthatthemaininhibitingfactortounleashingadaptive-creative-capacityofhumanbeingsistheimpositionontopeopleandorganisationsofamechanistic/reductionistworld-view.Thisdisservicecanbeaccomplishedinternally,externally,culturally,sociallyorscientifically.Chaordicleadershiprequiresgettingoutofourownwaytofullyengagetheworldandourselvesholistically,whichcouldotherwisebedescribedastheartof‘being’well.Real-worldtheoryandpracticeOurownrecentexperienceofresearchinpracticerevealsthatanewgeneralwaveoforganisationalrestructuringisinevitablytakingplaceasaresponsetothedynamicworldcontext.Employeesexperiencelivinginastateoffluxwhilstorganisationsstruggletoprepareforchange.Ourexperienceishoweverthatleadershipisbeginningtorecognisetheneedtomanagethechange

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processmoreeffectively,andespeciallyimportantistheneedforafocusedprocessofemployeereintegrationaftersuchrestructuringprocesses.Weconsequentlyfindithelpfultoensure:

• Are-clarificationofpurpose• There-establishofsenseofidentity• Therestorationofasenseofbelonging• Theawarenessofbeingrecognisedasavaluableasset

Consequently,intheprocessofrestructuringtoaccommodatenewdynamics,anewculturealsoneedstobeenabled.Alliedtothisisourfindingthatatthistimeoflarge-scaleretrenchment,thatprocessitselfrequiresmoresensitivemanagement,especiallyinrespectoftheexperienceofthoseremaining.Thismanagementsensitivitydemandstransparency,honestyandsincerity.Wefindthatwithmanyorganisationsexperiencingagrowinguniversalproblemofdisengagement,theyneedtobecomeawareofthenegativeimpactofinsufficientfeedback.Thisweidentifyasaproblemoftheorganisationbeingseenasmechanismratherthanconsistingofhumanbeings.Wefindthatoftenmanagement,includinghumanresourcemanagement,isfeltbyemployeestobeoutoftouchwithrealdailyexperienceofworkforce.Consequently,theyfeelthatmeasuresareintroducedwhichareconsideredtobehelpfultoemployeeswithoutproperconsultationontheground.Ourfindingisthatemployeeandorganisationalresilienceisenhancedwhenmanagementinveststimeandenergyinmoreintensehumanengagementwiththeteam.Loyaltyisimprovedwhenemployeesfeelheardandunderstoodandwheretheyfeeltheyarevaluable.Wehaveidentifiedthedangerinthisdigitalageoftheemergenceofadehumanizedculture,whereso-calledsolutionsareimposedwithoutin-depthresearchinstaffcoal-faceexperience.Ourconclusionisthathumanizingtheworkplacecontributestoengagementandproductivity;henceourconceptof‘phenomenologicalempathy.Continuedorganisationalsuccessrequires:

• Creativity-findingbetterwaysofdeliveringvalue• Innovation-developingbetterproductsandservices• Freedomtoexplore-whichinturnrequiresasenseofsecurity

Werecognisethatwhilstinthisageofchange,organisationscannotguaranteeemployment,wehaveseenthatasenseofbasicsecuritycanstillbemaintained.Withregularandcomprehensivefeedback,adefinedsenseofpurpose,aclarifiedsenseofidentity,andespeciallysincerityandtransparencyincommunication,thereisasenseof‘beinginittogether’.So,whilstorganisationscannotpredictthefuture,theycanreassuretheirstaffthattheyarepartnersinanuncertainfuture.Thisisenabledwhentheirexperienceoftheorganisationisnotoneofitbeingamachinewiththemfillingroles(slots)withinit,butratherthattheyareindeedtheorganisation.Wehaveobservedthatitisthehumandimensionofrelationshipsthatweavestogethertherealoperativeorganisation.Andtheemergentcultureisthebehaviouralexpressionoftheirdailyrelationships,ultimatelyinformedbyhumanvalues.Ourobservationsconfirmthepowerofanenablingandenliveningnarrativewhere“…wearepartofthestory”.Andthatinclusioncanbetranslatedintoeverydaypractice.

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LiteraturereviewandobservationsDavidsonandRees-Mogg(1988),anticipatethefar-reachingimpactoftechnologicalchangeinthecurrenteconomicrevolution.Premisedontheshiftfromindustrialtoaninformation-basedsociety,theysuggestthischangecouldliberateindividualsattheexpenseoftwentieth-centurynationstate.Theyobservethatascomputernetworksarechangingtheworldeconomy,sotoowillthestructureofworldsociety.Theyforeseethepotential‘collapseofthewelfarestate’withindividualsincreasinglyrequiredtobecomeresponsiblefortheirowndestinies.Individualscanadaptbybecomingentrepreneurs,privatecontractors,andbeincontroloftheirownfinances.Thiswillbeenabledbytheireasyaccesstoexponentiatingcomputingpower.Ratherthanbeingdauntedbytheseprospects,theauthorsadvisetakingadvantageofthecomingnewage;therebyovercomingthefearofbeingdestroyedbyitsimpact.Thiscapacityisattributedtothe‘sovereignindividual’.Since,fromourperspective,thismustnotbeinterpretedasadvocatingsocialDarwinism,weshallpresentlystressthegrowingrealityofcollaborativenetworkswhichstillrepresentorganisation,butofatransformedorder.Copingwithsuchdemands,wesuggest,willrequirethatleadershiplearnstoleadinacontextofmovementandprocess.Wesuggestitincludesthegenerationofalivingnarrativeabletosupportandenlivenaninspiringvision.Thisofnecessityincludeshowtobuildtrust,andespeciallyhowtoaccessandmobilizethedeeperresourcesofallmembersoftheteam.Weconsequentlyoffertwoimportanttransformativeinsights,firstly:

Theessentialprincipleofleadingpeoplestillremainsuniversal-thatistoofferthefullestversionof‘yourself’toyourteam.

FlemingandDelves(2017)emphasisetheneedtoplacehumanexperiencecentrestage;beingaleader,theystress,isalwayspersonal,andthatiswhytheauthenticleaderleads‘better’.Suchahumanizationofleadershiptheystress,happensthroughemotionalintelligence’.Thisqualitytheydescribeasafeatureofthe‘embodiedleader’.Weinturnhavesuggestedthatleadersembodythewholenessoftheteam,ororganizationinorientingittowardsitsvitalsuccess.McKergowandBailey(2014)withtheirnotionoftheleaderashost,confirmthattheperspectiveoftheembodiedleaderisanew,yetancient,lookatleadership.Itisaboutgreatengagement,andthesecrettomovingforwardisknowingwhentostepback.Itisnolongeraboutbeingthehero,theonewhomakeseverythinghappen.Ratheritisaboutapplyinghostingstrategiestoachievegreateragility,flexibilityandresponsiveness.Andthisrequiresahighlytunedsenseofrelationshipbuildingandengagement.Theauthorsreassurethatintrinsicallyweallknowhowtobethehost,butespeciallynowitistimetosharpentheseskillstoapplyintheorganisation.Thesecondtransformativeinsightisthis:

Sincetheglobalconditionofchangecontinuestoaccelerate,advancedstrategicplanning,whilstremainingnecessary,becomesinadequate.Leadershipmustnowlearntoplanandstrategize‘onthemove’.

SharpeandvanderHeijden(2007)helpfullysummariseinsightsgleanedfromtheOxfordFuturesForum(2005).

• Developinginsightsintothedriversofchange• Convertingthatinsightintoeffectiveaction• Extendingscenarioapproachestocopewiththeincreasingdemandsforrapidresponsestoa

complexworld.

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Theyconfirmourcontentionthatmanymanagementmethodsstillattempttoreducedecisionstosomestandardizedprocesswiththeintentionofdeliveringfixedresultsinsomefixedtimeschedule.Buildingontheirnotionofthe‘artofstrategicconversation’theyofferamethodof‘scenariothinking’thatwillmakespace,astheyputit,‘…fortheessentialmagicoforiginalinsightstohappen’.FourthindustrialrevolutionTheso-calledfourthindustrialrevolution,introducedattheWorldEconomicForum,providesasignificantcontextforleadershipanddemandsadeeperunderstandingofitshumanandenvironmentalcomplexity.Ratherthanbecometrappedinitstechnologicaltow,ourintentionwiththispaperistoassistamoreagileformofleadershiptotaketheirteamsandorganisationtoworthwhileandsustainableoutcomesthroughthesoftpowerofinfluence.Anddoingsowithinthatverycontextofthetechnologicalrevolution.Wecautionthattheaccompanyingexperienceoforganisationalstresscannowserveasasignalthatistimetoaccessthedeeperresourcesoftheteambyapplyingtheprincipleof‘antifragility’.Taleb(2012)dividestheworld,andallthat'sinit,(people,things,institutions,waysoflife)intothreecategories:thefragile,therobustandtheantifragile.Weare‘fragile’,hesuggests,ifwetendtoavoiddisorderanddisruptionforfearofthemesstheymightmakeofourlives.Whilstwemightthinkwearekeepingsafe,byattemptingtopre-regulatealleventualities,wearerathermakingourselvesvulnerabletotheshockthatwillteareverythingapart.Weare‘robust’ifwecanstandupstoicallytoshockswithoutflinching,andespeciallywithoutbeingwillingtochangewhoweare.Butweare,heaffirms,‘antifragile’iflife’sshocksanddisruptionstendtomakeusstrongerandmorecreative;betterabletoadapttoeachnewchallengeweface.Wehavesuggestedtheleaderenablesthedeeperbecomingofindividualsandtheteam.ThusTaleb’s‘antifragile’notionofbecomingstrongerinengagementwiththedynamicworldofferstheopportunitytochangeourattitudetothedisruptivecurrenteraandseeitasanopportunityforacceleratinghumanemergenceandevolution.Withadeeperunderstandingofthefluidityofthecurrentorganisationalcontext,andtherequired‘process’typeresponse,wethereforeencourageleadershiptodevelopamovingnarrativewithaninspiringvision-astoryinwhichallemployeescanbecomeapart.Thismeaningfulcore-valuefocuswillhelpbringmore’antifragile’resiliencetotheirorganisations.Especiallybybuildingtrustandengagement,therebyaccessingandmobilizingthedeeperresourcesofallandbebetterplacedtotransformcurrentandanticipatedchallengesintocreativeopportunities.

Accordingly,Barrett(2010),suggeststhattheimportantleadershipshiftisfrom‘I’to‘we’.Thisreflectsanevolutionofconsciousnessintheorganisation.Healsopositsthattheabilitytohandleincreasinglevelsofcomplexityisanevolutionarycharacteristic.Thisisnotrelatedtoage,buttopsychologicalmaturity.Suchevolutionarycompetenciesincludeadapting,learning,bonding,cooperating;theseareallaspectsofpsychologicalmaturity.Ultimately,theyrepresenttheabilitytoindividuateandself-actualize.Handlingcomplexity,hesuggests,isenhancedbylevelsofexposuretoexperience.Althoughtheabilitytohandlecomplexitydoesincreasewithage,Barrettsuggeststhisstillproceedsthroughthreeproposeddevelopmentalplateausofmentalcomplexity.

• Thesocializedmind:characterisedbywantingtomeetother’sexpectation.• Theself-authoringmind:characterisedbyfurtheringone’sownagenda,strivingforfreedom

andindependence,butbeingaccountableandtakinginitiative(seethe‘sovereignindividual’).

• Theself-transformingmind:characterisedbytheunderstandingofbeinginterdependent,ofconstantlyseekinginformation,offindingmeaning,andofbeingofservice.

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Barrett’sinsightsresonatestronglywiththoseofGreenleaf(2002)whoconfirmsthattrulygreatleadersarenotmotivatedbytheselfishdesiretoincreasetheirownpowerandprestige,butbyayearningtohelpothers.Tobeagreatleader,hesuggests,istobeaservant,placingemployees,customers,andcommunityasthenumberonepriority.Wehavesuggestedthatwhendevelopingourapproachestoeffectiveleadershipinthefourthindustrialrevolution,leadershipcanre-imaginethetransformationalopportunitybroughtbythechallengesoftheday.Theleaderaswhole-makerthuscoupleshumanmeaningwithdeepsustainabilityinfuturevisioningandthussupportsthebuildingoftrustandengagement.She/hethusbecomesasservantofboththepresentandlong-termfuturehumanpotential.LivingsystemsandnetworksThecapacitytodealcreativelywithemergencecallsforafundamentallytransformedperspective.Accordingly,CapraandLuisi(2014)suggestthatanewsystemicconceptionoflifeisattheforefrontofscience.Theyemphasisehowthisviewembracesthedynamicsofcomplexity,thenatureofcomplexnetworks,andofpatternsoforganisation.Theyincludenotionsofautopoiesis(thecapacitytoself-organisationassuggestedintheantifragilenotion),anddissipativestructures(highlyflexibleandadaptivenatureofcomplexlivingsystemsseekingcoherenceinadynamicenvironment).Theypointtotheemergingphenomenaofsocialnetworks,andtheneedforasystemicunderstandingofevolution.Allthese,theystress,haveimplicationsonthecurrentglobalecologicalandeconomiccrises.ThispointisfurtheremphasisedbyMorin(2008)whopostulatesadomainofcomplexityinwhichlivingorderhasacrucialorganisingrole.Hehighlightstheprocessesofrecursionandoffersaperspectiveofholisminwhichactivitiesofthewhole,as‘emergents’,loopbacktoconstrainparts.Theleaderasdynamicwholeness-makerthusimaginesthenatureoftheactivitiesthatdefinethewholeanditsrecursivefunction.Inacting‘systemically’leadershipidentifies,asfaraspossible,asmanyofthefactorspresentedinachallengeandinenablingitsinherentopportunity.Wecreatetheenablingenvironment(hosting)wherekeyplayersfeelwelcomeandsafetoparticipatefully.Weaccessthecollectiveintelligenceinordertobetterdealwiththecomplexitydescribedabovebygivingcarefulconsiderationtotherequiredparticipationintheprocess.Whilstthisisrelativetoanyteammember’spotentialcontribution,wealsocanincludeparticipantswithunknowncapacities,andwethenbegintoengageinaprocessofcreativethinkingtogether.Harvestingtheteam’screativitySenge(1990)warnsofthedelusionoftryingtosimply‘learnbyexperience’,especiallywhenattemptingtounderstandthefuturebyrelyingonthepast.Theprimarythreattooursurvival,hesuggests,isnotsomuchfromevents,butratherfromtheslowgradualprocesses(emergence)towhichweareninetypercentblind.Consequently,themythofautomaticgrowththroughteamwork,heventures,resultsinmostteams‘…actuallyoperatingbelowthelowestlevelofIQintheteam’.Sengedescribesthisas‘skilledincompetence’.Wesuggestthatthisinsightpresentsaseriouschallengetothecomfortingnotionof‘bestpractice’.Whatthisfurtheremphasisesistheidentifiedneedfororganisationstodevelopmoresubtlechangesensors.VanderHeijden(2005)accordinglywarnsthatoneperfectsolutiondoesnotexist.Theworld,heasserts,istoouncertainforthat;however,hereassuresthatasolutionthatwillworkforusisoutthere-waitingtobediscovered.Theapproachheoffersthereforeevolvesfrom‘findingthebeststrategy’,to‘mobilizingthebeststrategisingprocess’.Movetheorganisationtomeetthefuture,hesuggests,byturningon-going‘strategicconversations’toadvantage,linkingtheorganization’sunique(oftentacit)businessidea

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withscenariothinking,therebybuildingontheconventionalprinciplesoforganisationallearningthatSengehascautionedagainst.Thismeansbreakingoutoftheorganization’s‘thinkingbox’andtakingawiderperspective.Rememberingalwaystounderstandtheuniquedriversoftheorganization’ssuccessbyarticulatingitscentralbusinessidea.Thereafterdevelopscenariosasalternativewaysofmakingsenseofwhatishappeninginthebusinessenvironment.VandenHeijdenaffirmstheenablingnotionofgaininganewunderstandingoftheorganisationinits‘playingfield’byusingnarrativeandstorylinestoarticulatetheoverallsystemicframeworkandmakeitvisible.Thissystemicorganisationalprocess,heavers,impactsthethinkingabout‘organisation’aswholeandpreparesitforeffectiveaction,thussupportingournotionofleadershipaswholeness-making.Thetrendisclearlyevidentthatinthiserainnovationoffersanyorganisationacompetitiveadvantage.Thismightrangefromprovidingmoresophisticatedproducts,toimprovingthequalityofcustomerorstakeholderexperience.Whilstprice-cuttingasacompetitiveadvantagehasbecomethearenaofthosewiththecapacityformassproductionandwithaccesstolowcostlabour,thisinanyeventistheenvironmentwhereincreasinglyroboticsandautomationwillperformtherequiredroutinetasks.Consequently,attentionneedstoratherberedirectedtothequalityofexperienceoftheproductorservicebytheuser.Thatphenomenologicalshifttomanaging‘experience’thereforeemphasiseswhereleadershipmustbecomeadept-whereGreenleaf’sservantleadershipqualitymightapply-andessentiallyrepresentsthe‘poetics’ofwhole-makingToenablethistohappen,firsttheenablingenvironment,asconsideredaboveinvanderHeijden’sprocess,needstobeestablished,andtheparticipantsneedtobeselected(self-selectionisalsoagoodway).Thereafterthethree-stagecreativemethodusedbyfilmproducer,WaltDisney,asmodelledbyDiltsandEpstein(1991)canbeapplied.

• First,theysuggest,createthe‘dreaming’space.Selectsmallteamstogenerateinterestingideas.Stressthatthisdoesnotyetneedtoberealistic,practical,orcritical-thisisaboutbrain-storming-free-wheeling.Gatheralltheinterestingideas.Rememberthatwhatmightconsideredidiosyncraticinonecontext,couldbejusttherightanswerinanother!

• Second,createthe‘implementing’space.Getsmallteamstothinkabouthowtoturnthose

interestingideasintopracticalreality.Whatwouldbethevalue-add,whatresourceswouldberequired,whatwouldbethetimeline,thecost,andwhowouldbebesttoengage.Thefocusisstillonhowtoimplement-itisstillnotyetthetimetonitpickandfaultfind.

• Third,nowproceedtothecriticalspace.Atthisstageinvitethoseteamstolookforthe

potentialflawsandpitfalls.Withaprematurefocusonthepotentialflawsandrisks,itwouldbealltooeasytogiveuponpotentiallyvaluableideas.Identifythechallengesandgobacktothecreativespace,whereyoustartthethinkingalloveragain.

Ideallythosethree‘thinking’spaceswillbephysicallyseparate.Thishelpscreatetheright‘mood’,especiallysincethebrainnaturally‘codes’experiencetothespaceswecreate.

ThefivedriversgeneratingVUCAworld

AstheabovementionedOxfordFuturesForumpointedout,weneedtoidentifythedriversofchange.Wearguethatacombinationoffivefactorsofthecurrentindustrialrevolutiongeneratethenatureofour‘VUCA’worldwhichischaracterizedby‘volatility’,‘uncertainty’‘complexity’and‘ambiguity’.Wewillpresentlyunpackthesefeatures.

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Wilkinson(2007),DirectorofScenarioPlanningandFuturesResearchattheJamesMartinInstituteforScienceandCivilisation,confirmsthattheeraofcleardangers,simpleproblems,andpredictandcontrolapproachesispast.Sheforexampledescribestheprevailingcontextasbeingcloudedby:

• competinginterests,• multipleworldviews,and• turbulentchange.

Scenarioplanning,sheoffers,isnotsomuchaboutbuildingasetofalternativefutures,norisitconductedfromtheneedformethodologicalcoherence.Ratheritrelatestotheeffectivenessofscenariosaspotentialpurposefulinterventionsaimedatorganisationalsense-making,innovationanddevelopment.Shecontinuesthatitisaboutlookingoverthehorizonoftheknownandcommittingtoanewcourseofaction.Shecallsforthebringingtogetherofknowledgeandcreativitytomakedecisionsthathavefar-reachingimpact,relatednotonlytosuccess,buteventosurvival.Sheenvisagesputtingtheforcesshapingourworldintoplaywiththeemergingpossibilitiesandcomingupwithuniqueentrepreneurialinsights.Wecallthatwholeness-making.

TransformativepowerofsocialmediaWesuggestthesefivecriticaldriverscontributetotheincreasingpaceoftechnologicalinnovationinthisfourthindustrialrevolutionandthusrendertheorganisationalcontextevenmorecomplex:

1) Thegrowinginterconnectivityofpeople-enabledbydigitaltechnology-butcompoundedbymultipleworldviews

2) ITdata-processingcapacityenablingpatternandtrendidentification-butwiththecapacitytogenerateself-perpetuatingepistemicbubbles(digitalecho-chamber)

3) Powerfulautomationandrobotics-doingmoreof‘human’work-butholdingprospectsofincreasingsocialalienation.

4) Biosyntheticcouplingoftechnologytolivingsystems,especiallygenetics-butwithunprecedentedmanipulativecapacities

5) Thegrowingdestructivehumanfootprintonearth’snaturalsystems

Asleaderswemustnotonlycopewith,butmeaningfullyaddressthesechallengesinpursuingorganisationalgoalsandoptimisingchange.Butafurthersubtlerealitytoberecognisedisthis:thatthetrendsenabledbysocialconnectivitycanalsointurninfluenceleaders.Theyoftenfollowratherthanlead,intheconventionalsense.Afurthervaluableconsiderationistherecognitionthatmediaconnectivitycanbeusedtogenerateamorediscerningconsumersociety,withthepowertomobilizethemarketplaceinthefaceofunethical,orunsustainablepractice.Thatespeciallyrelatesto‘clean’productsandpractices.

Smith(1997)tracestheincreasingvitalityofsuchnotionsas‘deepecology’,‘ecofeminism’,‘animalrights’,‘environmentalholism’,‘liberationeco-theology’,‘rights-moralconsiderability’andtheaccompanyingneedforethicalmethodandthequestforsustainability.ConcerningmoralactivismSpinosa,FloresandDreyfus(1997)claimthathumanbeingsareattheirbest,notwhentheyareengagedinabstractreflection,butwhentheyareintenselyinvolvedinchangingthetaken-for-granted,everydaypracticesinsomedomainoftheirculture.This,theydeclare,istrulymakinghistory,and,theystress,itisaboutchangesinthewayweunderstandanddealwithourselves.Theythenidentifythreemethodsofhistorymaking:

• Reconfiguration-reorganizingconceptuallythecomponentsanddynamicsofthestatusquo• Crossappropriation-transportingtheelementsofthatpresentrealityintonewpotential

scenarios• Articulation-creatingacompellingnarrative.

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ThiscontentionisfurtherdevelopedbyDonaldson,Verhane,andCording(2002)who,forexample,pointtothedisruptiveimpactoftechnologicaladvancementsontraditionalnotionsofproperty;howthisinturnimpactscorporatestrategy.(Itisbeyondthescopeofthispapertoaddressthepotentialempowermentoftechno-smartpeople,asforexampleenvisagedbyDavidsonetalabove,toproducetheirowngoodsandservices.Sufficienttoanticipatethatitwillinevitablypresentachallengenotonlytoorganisationsdoingbusinessinthetransactionaleconomy,buteveninthemanufacturingsector.Thisemergentphenomenonistermed‘disintermediation’,orsimplyput,cuttingoutthemiddleman.(DeLange’snotionof‘fruitfulness’applies.)Consequently,Donaldsonetalemphasisetheincreasinglyimportantroleoforganisationalvalueswiththenecessaryaccompanyingethicalleadershipandalsoemphasisethegrowingenvironmentalconcerns.Itisclearthatsinceweasleaderswillberequiredtoexplorethesechallengesandopportunitiesanddevelopaperspectiveonhowtoleadethicallyinsuchadynamicworld,poeticandethicsincreasinglybecomesynonymous.Thevalues-baseddifferentiationoftheorganisationrelatestoDeLange’snotionof‘otherness’.VUCA-VolatilityRzevski(2011),identifiesthecriteriaofcomplexitythatcharacterisescomplexadaptivesystems,namely;

• ‘Interdependency’-wherediverse‘components’areengagedinrichinteractions• ‘Autonomy’-where‘agents’arenotcentrallycontrolled,butarestillsubjecttocertainrules

andnorms• ‘Emergence’-wheretheoverallbehaviourofthesystemsemergesfromtheinteractionsof

alltheagents• ‘Farfromequilibrium’-wheredisruptiveeventsdonotallowthesystemtoreturnto

equilibrium• ‘Non-linearity’-where,forexample,aninsignificantinput,interactingwithmultipleother

dynamics,canbeamplifiedintoextremeevents• ‘Self-organisation’-wherethesystemisabletoreorganiseafterdisruption-orinresponse

toaperceivedneed• ‘Coevolution’-whereasystemirreversiblyco-evolveswithitscontext.

Rzevskistressesthattheglobalmarketespeciallyissuchacomplexsystemcharacterisedbytheuncertainty.Theneedforapracticalapproachtomanagethiscomplexitythusbecomesimperative.Mitleton-Kelly(2011)stressestheneedtoidentifythemultidimensionalproblemspaceandwithothersemphasisestherequirementofco-creatinganenablingenvironment.TheVfor‘Volatility’,thusdescribesanysysteminsuchahighlyenergizedstate-CapraandLuisiabovedefinesuchanentityasadissipativestructure.Whatitessentiallymeansisthatwiththerighttriggerthingscanchangeverydramatically.Inthehumancondition,especiallywherethereareemotionallychargedsettings,awrongwordcantriggeranexplosiveresponse.Societytoohasbecomehighlyenergizedbecauseofitsintenseinterconnectivityandtheaccompanyingclashofmultipleworldviews.Butthisfactornowparticularlyappliesinbusinesseconomics,characterisedbycompetinginterests,where,forexample,stockmarketBullandBearrunscanturnintoeitherhysteriaorpanic.Itclearlycontributedtothe2008economicrecession.However,italsoexplainsthepoliticalvolatilityoftheso-calledArabspring,andaccountsfortherecentunexpectedchangesofpoliticalleadershipintheworld.Volatilityisincreasedinthisagebygrowinghumandigitalinterconnectivity,andtheaccompanyingintenseinterconnectivityoftheglobalisedeconomy.Thiscanresultinrapidanddramaticchangesinbusinessfortunes.Itrequirestheleadertodevelopamuchsmarterawarenesswithanaccompanyingcapacityforagileresponse,whichcorrelatestoDeLange’snotionof‘spareness’.Agilityalsorequiresbeingabletodetectchangewhenthereisstill

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somethingthatcanbedoneaboutit.

VUCA-UncertaintyTherisingvolatilitydiscussedhereabovehasundoubtedlymadetheworldmoreuncertain-thisistheUofVUCA.Thefutureisnowmoredifficulttopredictthanever.

InthisveinStacey(2012)alsocontestsclaimsthatmanagementtoolsandtechniquesarebasedonevidence.Humanactivitiesofleadingandmanaging,hestresses,arenotamenabletoscientificproof-consequentlythelong-termfuturesofanyorganisationremainunpredictable.Hepointsoutthat‘expertise’goesbeyondrulesandproceduresandinvitesreflectiononthequestionofwhattheroleoftheleadermightnowbecomeinanunpredictableworld.Hechallengesustoconsideronhowcomplexityaffectsthewayorganisationsarestructuredandfunction.Wecannowbetterunderstandhowthisuncertaintymightparalyzerisk-averseleaders.Butwealsoremainawarethatitalsoencouragesexploitativeopportunism.Itdemandsthatleadersdevelopobjectivesthatareinformedbyalong-termandworthwhilevision,onethatbringspositivevaluetosociety.SuchavisionenablesDeLange’snotionof‘sureness’.Andsuchleadershipwillsensitivelyconsidertheimpactonthegreaterecology.

VUCA-ComplexityOlsonandEoyang(2001)independentlytakeupStacey’schallengebyfocusingonthescienceofcomplexadaptivesystemsappliedtoorganisationalchange.Theirobservationonitsmanagementhoweveristhatratherthanfocusingonthemacrostrategicleveloftheorganisationalsystem,complexitytheorysuggeststhemostpowerfulchangeprocessesoccuratthemicrolevelwhererelationships,interactions,andsimplerulesshapeemergingpatterns.Theyassert:

“Likeajazzensemble’sperformancemixescomplexinteractionsbetweenindividualmusicians,theirinstruments,andtheaudience,sotoodoescreativityandefficiencyemergenaturallywithinorganisations.”

ThefivepotentchangefactorsofthedigitalrevolutionidentifiedabovegeneratethisthirdVUCAfeature-C,forcomplexitythattheauthorsabovereferto.Asidentifiedwhentherearemanyinteractingparticipants,complexlivingsystemsbecomehighlyenergized.Sincewehaveshownacomplexsystemtobeonewheretherearecertainparticipatingfactorsthatcannotbeidentified-thesecanbeidentifiedas‘externalities’.Thisthencanresultintherapidchangeanduncertaintythatweshowedvolatilitycouldbring.

Atthisjunctureitbecomesimportanttodistinguishthemeaningof‘complexity’fromthatof‘complicated’.Whileacomputeriscomplicated,anexpertcanstillidentityallthepartsandinteractions.Theactionofcomplicatedsystemsispredictable,andfixingthingswhentheygowrongjustrequirestechnicalexpertise.Butwithcomplexityitisdifferent-wecannotidentifyalltheinteractingparts.Takeeconomics;thisisthecontextinwhichofnecessityanybusinessfunctions,andtherearemanyfactors,includinghumansentiment,thatareinvolved.Oneexampleofcomplexityistheherdeffect,alreadyidentified,thatleadstostockmarket‘bullruns’aseagerinvestorsscrambletocashinoneasygains.Thisphenomenoncannotbepredictedinadvance.However,withanunderstandingofcomplexity,thisphenomenoncanstillbeanticipated.Incomplexsystems,theso-called‘dominoeffect’isamplified.

Yes,wecandesignacomplicatedsystem,andwhennecessaryupgradethatsystem-IThasbecomeparticularlygoodatthat.Butwecan’tdesigncomplexsystems.Theyareself-organising-evenwhilst

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artificialintelligenceistryingtoreplicatethatcapacity.Fortheleader,itisimportanttorememberthatalllivingsystemsareconstantlyadaptingtoenvironmentalchange-andsotoodohumanorganisations.Thatiswhyinacomplexworld,weasleadersneedtobefullyengaged,withwide-openeyes,andholdagenuineinterestinhumandynamics.Thenwewillbebetterplacedtopositivelyinfluencetrendsassoonastheyaredetected.

AusefulapproachisofferedbyOlivierandHolscher(2017)whoquestiontheformofheroicleadershipthatneedsto‘havealltheanswers’.Whattheysuggestisratherthepracticeofworkinginaneco-system.AndtodojustthatBrentandMcKergow(2017)stresstheimportanceofseeingthebestintheworldandourcolleagues.Hind(2017)similarlycallsforcriticalself-evaluation,knowingwhatwearegoodat,andwhatwearenotgoodat.ThiscontentionsupportsthenotionofOlivierandHolscherofeco-intelligence,andemphasisesthecapacityofworkinginaneco-system.

ActivatingtheMotivationalHotbuttons

VandenHeijdenofferstheideaofthestrategicconversationrevolvingaroundacoreidea.Sotoothewayweexperiencetheworldisoftenorganisedaroundacoreidea-asupremevaluefactor.Thiscoreideacouldhaveacquireditsintensitythroughsomepowerfulexperience,orrepetition,andespeciallyfromreinforcementofthecultureinwhichwegrewup.Wetypicallytrytoexplainvalueswithsomegeneralisednotions,likeloyalty,orhonesty,orcourtesy,orcaring,ontheonehand,andmaybedaring,opportunism,pleasure-seeking,ontheother.Whilstsomeofthesemightbeconsideredtobenobletraits;goodvaluestoaspiretowards,valuesarenowseentobefarmorecomplex.Ourmotivation,whatwebecomeexcitedabout,aretriggeredbysetsofcriteriathatdefineourresponsestowhatisgoingonintheworld.Andthosesetsofcriteriainturndeterminewhatwegiveattentiontointheworld.The‘coreidea’organizesthewaywethinkabouttheworldandhowwerespondtoitinourownuniqueway,hencethegatheringcomplexityofcompetingmultipleworldviews.Researchshowsthatthesecoreideasprogressinanevolutionarywayasourcapacitytobecomeconsciousoftheworldexpands,bothgeographically,andintime.CowanandTodorovic(2005),showthatforClareGraveshumanpsychologicaldevelopmentwasaninfiniteprocess.SomewhatcontraryofBarrett’sviewsonpsychologicalmaturationdescribedhereabove,theyclaimthatthereisnotanystateofpsychologicalmaturity;theconceptionofpsychologicalmaturity,theyassert,isafunctionoftheconditionsofexistence.Ashumanscontinuetosolvetheirproblemsofexistence,theyinevitablycreatenewproblems,andasaconsequenceproliferateintonewandhigherorderformsofpsychologicalbeing.BeckandCowan(1996)identifyninecoreideas,fundamentallifeoperatingprinciplesthatinformsuchascendingordersofpsychologicalbeing:

• Survival-followinginstinct• Security-groupconsciousnessforsafety• Pleasureandpower-becomingself-conscious• Discipline-desirousoforderandcertainty• Opportunity-enjoyinggrowthanddevelopment• Humanity-dignityandcompassion• Understanding-makingsenseofthebigpicture• Holisticperspective-theworldasanintegrativelivingorganism-Gaia• Spiritualconnection-beingintheunifiedcreativefield-synchronicity

Wedonotnecessarilygetmotivatedbyasingleorganisingidea-therecanbecombinationsofideas.Butweasleaderswilldowelltolearntoidentifythemostimportant‘value’hot-buttonsand

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begintoevaluatethoseofteammembers.Phenomenologicalempathy,aswewillshow,asksthatweappreciatetheworldviewofthosewithwhomweareinteracting.Thereisnoblameinholdingthatworldviewitisafunctionofathousandyearsofhistory,asFernandez-Armesto(1996)putsit.Thisdoesnotmeanwehavetoagree,orevenaccept,butrespectaspartofdeepsubjectiveexperiencewithwhichweareinvitedtoengage.Ofcourse,theevengreaterchallengewemightfaceisthatoftryingtofacilitatesocietalvaluechange.Laloux(2014)exploresthepossibilityofcreatingorganisationsinspiredbythenextstageofhumanconsciousness.Heenvisagescreatingtrulysoulfulorganisations(businesses,nonprofitsetc.)characterisedby‘authenticity’,asenseof‘community’,conductedwith‘passion’and‘purpose’.Heconcludes:“Anewstageinconsciousnesscanbringanextraordinarybreakthroughincollaboration.”Ultimately,forLaloux,itisaboutinventingaradicallymoresoulfulandpurposefulwaytorunourorganisations.Accessingthesemotivational‘hot-buttons’canberelatedtoDeLange’snotionof‘liveness’.EnablingengagementWethereforesuggestthatfivequalitiesofmindfulnesscollaboratepowerfullytoenhanceengagement.

• ‘Presence’-thissuggeststhatourperceptualfiltersareopentothecurrentreality.Beingpresentallowsustoengage.Whenourmindsareelsewherewecannotfullyengage.Thisimportanttopicofpresencewillbediscussedfurther.

• ‘Agility’-thecapacity,aswesawabove,tomakesubtleandearlyadjustmentswhenwedetectchange.Makingthoseadjustments,aswhenhavingadifficultconversation,isallaboutbeingengaged.

• ‘Resilience’-thisisthecapacityto‘recover’whenthingsgowrong-likegettingbackonthebicyclewhenwe’vecomeacropper.Resiliencethenallowsustostayengaged-evenwhenthatisnoteasy.

• ‘Creativity’-thismeansbeingspontaneousinthemoment-engagementfosterssuchspontaneity.

• ‘Commitment’-withoutwhichwewouldnotbebotheredinthefirstplace.Commitmentmeanswecanseethevalueofwhatwearedoing-werecognisetheimportanceofengagement.Commitmentisalsoinformedbythecoreorganisingidea.

Byregularlycheckingourpriorities,evaluatingwhatisimportantinourlivesandinourbusinesses,wearebetterabletodiscernhowtopayattentionandputinefforttothatwhichisworthwhile.Andifthisistruefortheleaderpersonally,itisalsotrueoftheteam.AsHocksuggestedourowncompellingvisionandcommitmentwillaffectthemtoprioritizeaswell-thatisafactorofhumannature.Takingourteamsintoourconfidence,andbeingconsistent,engenderstrust.Rewardingtheirparticipationwithinterestencouragesparticipation.Trustandparticipationleadstoengagement,andengagementleadstogreaterteamproductivity.ZoharandMarshall(2004)presentthecaseforemployingrational,emotionalandspiritualintelligencetotransformourselvesandcorporateculture.Theypresentalternativescenariosforthefuture:

• Thefirstis‘businessasweknowit’,characterisedbyself-interest,short-termgain,isolationistthinking,withthebottomlineasking.Theyarguethatthisisbasedonnarrowassumptionsabouthumannatureandmotivation.Thistypicalbusinessscenarioisinterestedinshareholdervalueatexpenseofnotonlysystemic,butinevitablyourownlong-termfuture.

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• Thesecondscenarioisabusinessculturedrivenbyafundamentalsetofvalues,andadeepsenseofpurpose.Herewealthisindeedaccumulatedwithaviewtogeneratea‘decent’profit,whileactingtoraisethe‘commongood’.Nowtheemphasisisonstakeholdervalue,includingthehumanrace,presentandfuture,and,ofcourse,planetEarthitself.

Wehavesuggestedthatthenotionofembodiedleaderrelatesnotonlytobringingthefullnessofthemselvestotheteam,butindeedbecomingtheteam.That,wehavesuggested,meanstoothattheleaderenablestheirdeeperbecoming,andwithTaleb’s‘antifragile’notionofgettingstrongerinengagementwiththedynamicworlditencompassesthespiritualaspectofleadership.VUCA-AmbiguityA,forambiguity,isafeaturethataccompaniesvolatilityandcomplexity,anditexplainsuncertainty.Sincecomplexscenariosarenaturallyopentodifferentinterpretations,itisimpossibletohaveanexactanalysisofwhat’sgoingonuntilthingsclarify.Forexample,thereisastageinanunbornbaby’sdevelopmentwherethegendercanstillnotyetbedeterminedbysonarscanning-sothatsituationisambiguous.Sotooisthepotentialofanyhighlyenergizedstatesuchaspotentialglobaltradewars.Youwillonlyreallyknowwhat’sabouttohappenwhenitdoes.Britain’sattemptedexitfromtheEuropeanunionisaspecificexample.Thingsare‘developing’intheprocess-theyarecoevolving.Itespeciallyapplieswheremanypeopleareinvolved-likeinbusiness,orinpolitics.Thatisalsowhymanygoodbusinessideasfail,whilstotherssucceed.Wecannotreallyknowhowthemarketwillresponduntilwe’velaunched.AmbiguitydemandsnewcompetenciesforeffectiveleadershipintheVUCAworld.Whatitreallyneedsisopen-mindedness,theabilitytogeneratemultiplescenarios,andakeenfocusonenhancedcreativity.Thepoeticsofleadershipisaboutraisingtheawarenessandagilitytogeneratesuch‘fruitful’organisationalcreativity.

Boone&Snowden(2007)suggestthatleadersmustsense,analyze,andrespond.Inacomplexcontext,rightanswerssimplycannotbeferretedout;rather,instructivepatternscanemergeiftheleaderconductsexperimentsthatcan‘safelyfail’.Thistheydeclare,istherealmof"unknownunknowns,"andthatiswheremuchofcontemporarybusinessoperates.Leadersinthiscontextneedtoprobefirst,thensense,andthenrespond.Inachaoticcontext,searchingforrightanswers,theystressispointless.Therelationshipsbetweencauseandeffectareimpossibletodeterminebecausetheyshiftconstantly,andnomanageablepatternsexist.RecruitingneurosciencetorebootcorporatebrainWhenre-examiningleadershipapproachesfromtheperspectiveofneuroscience,wecannowalsoemployinsightsfromtheemergingdisciplineofneurolinguisticprogramming(NLP).Thisshowshowwecreateinnermental‘maps’torepresentourworlds.Knight(1995)defines‘neuro’asthewaywefilterandprocessexperiencethroughoursenses,‘linguistic’,asthewayweinterpretexperiencethroughlanguage,and‘programming’asthewaywecodelanguageandbehaviourintoanownpersonalprogram.Criticallysheidentifies‘metaphor’askeytotheunconsciousmind-andthat,shesuggests,isthedoortocreativity.Wesuggesttheleaderas‘sage’metaphorizesnarrativetobringidentityoftheorganisation,astribe,together-awholegeneratinggreaterwholeness.Sincewenavigatethroughsuchmaps,likefollowinganinnerGPS,ourperceptionsarefilteredthroughourdominantvaluesandbeliefsasindicated.Andtheyareinturnconditionedbyourpastexperience.Wehaveallbeen‘programmed’.‘Ambiguity’,wehaveseen,meansthatmanysituationsareopentodifferentinterpretations.Weareinvitedtoregularlycheckwhetherouropinionsprovidethemosteffectiverepresentationofreality.Whilstthinkingisdeeplyhabituated,neuroscienceshowsthatwecanindeedchangeourminds.Thatisbecauseofthebrain’sneuroplasticitythatallowsitto‘remap’.Andthat,ofcourse,isalsoabout‘heuristics’.Inachanging

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worlditbecomesevenmoreimportanttoupdateourmentalsoftware.AsSengesuggestsithelpsfreeourperceptionofrealityfrominterpretationbasedonourpastexperience,inordertobebetterinformedbythedynamicpresent.Thequalityofopen-mindednessthatallowsrichandmeaningfulcommunication(engagement)canassistinthisremapping.Italsohelpstodevelopthosequalitiesofagility,engagement,andcreativitythataresonecessaryinthisVUCAage.

Phenomenologicalempathy

Compellingandinsightfulcommunicationengageswiththedeepsubjectiveexperienceofthelistener.Certainpresuppositionsfromneuro-linguisticprogrammingofferhelpfulcommunicationinsights,suchas:

• “Themeaningofthecommunicationistheresult.”Themeaningofthecommunicationisnotnecessarilywhatourintentionwas,notinthecontentofourwords,orthegesturesweused,butwhatoccurredasaresult-howitwasunderstoodandinterpreted.Thatisthephenomenologicalperspective.ThisisprobablywhatEinstein(1995)wassuggesting,namely,thedynamic‘substance’istheeffectoftheinteractiononthewholesystem.Thatistheimportanceofthetopicof‘subjectivity’we’llbeexamininggoingforward.

• “Wecannotnotcommunicate.”Inwhateverwaywerespondtoacommunication,orasituation,whetherviolently,orincompletesilence;thatresponsewillbeinterpreted,consciouslyorunconsciously.Simplyput,sinceeveryonelooksuptotheleader,whatwesay,howwerespond,thatmakesanimpact.Effectiveleadershipisthereforeaboutcompellingcommunication-thepoetics.

SeeleyandThornhill(2014)askhoworganisationsmightbettercultivateartfulandcreativewaystohelpre-imaginetheirrole,theirrelationships,andthemselves,forasustainablefuture.Theytooemphasisetherequirementof‘embodiedexperience’coupledtosharpdecisiveminds,havingboththeabilitytopickapartthedetails,andglimpsesofseeingwholesystems.Theystresstherequirementofasenseofselfasbeingfullydependentonnaturalplanetaryecosystemsandhavingthecapacitytostructurehumanorganisationstomeetvitalneedsfairly,simplyandwell.Incultivatingartfulways,theysuggestitisabout“...Knowingtheworldisessentialifwearetoimaginefutureswhereweorganiseandstructureouractivitiessustainably.Abstractrationalthinkingisnotenoughtogetusoutofthedangerousglobalmesswehavemadeforourselves.”Theytooobservethatitisthedominationoflinearwaysofthinkingthathasledtosuchaprecarioussituation.Thiscontentionwesuggestsupportsourviewofphenomenologicalempathysupportingleadershipinwhole-making.‘Commonsense’versusCurrentReality

Weareallthen‘programed’byexperience,mappingtotheworldinourownuniqueway.Butwearealsoallhuman,learningfromandadaptingtoeachother.Humanconsciousnessevolvedcollectivelyovertime,withthewisdomofhindsightwecannowidentifythreemeta-stages.

• Preconventionalthinking:Thiswastypicallyinformedbyhanded-downtradition,oralandwritten,andtheoftaccompanyingdogma.Arcanewisdomthoughhasoftenbeenrefinedintimethroughmythology,evolvingcultureandeventhedeeperunifyingdimensionsofreligion.Virgil’sAeneid,forexample,servedasafoundingmythfortheRomanEmpire.ThisepicnarrativeservedtocreateanidentitygreaterthanthecityofRome.IntheJudeo-Christiantraditionformanythisnarrativehascreatedanopportunityforaglobalidentity.

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• Conventionalthinking:Theso-called‘ageofenlightenment’sawconventionalthinkingbeginningtorelyincreasinglyonprovenscience.Thiswasconsideredtobeasignificantadvanceforconsciousness.ForHenryFordthereforetheappropriatemetaphorwasmachine.Inconventionalthinkingthus,theleadermaintainsthewholenessofthemachine.Themachinerequiresspecificenvironmenttofunctionwell,assuchitrepresentsabrittlekindofwhole.Butunderpressuremachinescannotadapt,theycannotbifurcate,theyjustdisintegrate.Thiswayofthinking,broadlycharacterisedasmodernism,stillconsidersthematerial,orphysicalworldtobetheonly‘real’one.Knowing‘reality’stillrequiresthatitbe‘quantified’byscientificinstruments.Withthisthinkingstrivingtoidentifythe‘hard’facts,basedinmaterialreality,itfindstheimmaterialworldofthoughts,beliefsandfeelingsdifficulttoevaluate.IncreasinglythemapsofconventionalthinkingarebeingshowntobeinadequatefordealingwiththechallengesofthisVUCAworld.Ourbestsciencehasnotsolvedourself-generatedhumanproblems;thatisbecausetheworldisstillaboutpeopleandtheirsubjectiveexperience.

• Post-conventionalthinking:Post-modernismquestionsthemetanarrativesofmodernism.Whereasmachinesaredead,theyareinanimate,organisationsareanimate.Consequently,leadershipislessaboutprotectingtheorganisationfromtheenvironmentwhilstextractingitspotentialvalue,post-conventionalthinkingfocusesonthatwhichwillincreasevitality-addincreaseinthelifeoftheorganisationsasitevolvedinwholenesstoitsgreaterpotential.ThisrelatesbothtodeLange’s‘vitality’and‘fruitfulness’.Withtheshiftoffocusfromthepartstotheinteractingrelationships,withpost-conventionalthinkingthesubject-observer/object-observeddichotomyisbridged.‘Action’and‘experience’becomeidentifiedasthekeysfactorsofreality,thusreconsidering‘reality’fromthephenomenologicalperspective.Assimpleexamplewouldbetherecognitionofthenightmareasarealexperienceforthedreamer.Thegiftembeddedinthisperceptionistheshiftfromaccesstoandownershipofresources,tothecreativityofrelationalityinwhole-making.

‘Maps’andmyth-perpetuationNotwithstandingthepowerfulnatureofsubjectivity,thewayweencodethatremainsanessentialfororganisationalsuccess.Korzybski(1947)cautionsustoreconsiderthefollowing‘presupposition’.“Thewordisnottheeventitdescribes-themapisnottheterritory.”Thishighlightstwofurtherimportantconsiderationswithregardtophenomenologicalempathyasappliedinleadership:When,forexample,we‘label’(usingaword)someoneas,forexample,being‘mad’,wemakeageneralisation;wefreezeourpersonaldescriptionofsomeoneelse’saction(theevent)intime.Weunderminetherealityoflivingprocessinourthinking.Things,people,dochange.That’swhywehavethewarning-‘themapisnottheterritory’.Prematurelabelling,harshjudgement,isasignofprejudice.Andthatleadsto‘beingoutoftouch’-missingthequalityof‘presence’thatwepreviouslyidentified.When‘prejudiced’weemploy‘maps’toguideourresponsestotheworldwhichnolongerworkeffectivelyandconsequentlywealsoharmourselves.Ourmapsactivateemotions;likejoy,anger,fear,sorrow,orjealousy-andournegativeemotionsthendisturbourcoherencetothedetrimentofourphysical,mentalandemotional,andsocialwellbeing.Thatemotionalstatethendrivesourbehaviouranddirectlyimpactsothers,butitalsosubtlydrivesthequalityofenergyweradiate.That’swhywefeeldepletedinthepresenceofsomefolks,andwhywefeelenergizedwithothers.Themindfulnessthatcomeswithself-reflection,andtherealitycheckthataccompaniesdeepand

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honestconversation,canhelpusasleaderstoupdateoursoftware.Deepandgenerativeconversation,inturn,requiressuchphenomenologicalempathy.ProbingthePost-conventionalParadigmshiftKuhn(1962)challengestheprevailingviewofprogressin"normalscience".Conventionalscientificprogresswasviewedas"development-by-accumulation"ofacceptedfactsandtheories.Kuhnarguedforanepisodicmodelinwhichheidentifiedthatperiodsof‘conceptualcontinuity’innormalscienceweresometimesinterruptedbyperiodsofrevolutionaryscience.Thediscoveryof"anomalies"duringsuchrevolutionsinsciencecouldleadtonewparadigms.Newparadigmsthenaskednewquestionsofolddata,movedbeyondthemere"puzzle-solving"ofthepreviousparadigm,changedtherulesofthegameandthe"map"directingnewresearch.Schumacher(1977)confirmsthatthescientificrationalismofthelastthreecenturies,withitsemphasisonprovableandcertainknowledge,hasincreasinglyobscuredfromviewvariousaspectsoflifethatconfrontusinreality.ThereisthussomefundamentalsignificanceinMorin’sviewoftherecursivefunctionofwholesinalllivingsystemsthatpointstoanemergingholisticscienceasrepresentingsuchaparadigmshift.Fromaleadershipperspectiveconventionalthinkingtendstofocusonthematerial,orphysicalworld.So,inattemptingtoexplainconsciousness,forexample,itwillstillconsidermicroscopicallyobservablebraincells,ratherthanourthoughtsandfeelings,tobetheproperbusinessofscientificexamination.Bycontrasthumanaspirations,whichcannotbemeasured,isstillconsideredmorephilosophical-oratleastpreferablyrelatedtothesoftsciences.ThedisciplineofcomplexityandemergencehowevernowshowshumansubjectivitytoprobablybethemostdynamicfactortobedealtwithintheVUCAworld.Becauseconventionalthinkinghasstruggledtoaddressthat,wearguethathumanconsciousnessneedstoaccelerateinitsprogressionto‘post-conventionalthinking’.Sinceleadingisaboutpeople,theartandscienceofVUCAleadershipbecomesincreasinglyimportantinthisage.So,forexample,theemploymentofalgorithmstoprogramartificialintelligenceisonething,understandingcomplexhumandynamicstoenablemoresubtleandeffectiveleadershipisanother.Acolleagueputitgraphicallywhenhesuggestsleadershipisshiftingfrommechanistic‘atomherders’toorganismic‘guardiansofthelifeofthetribe’.EngagingEmergingEconomics

WeidentifiedhowDavidsonandRees-Mogganticipatedthecomingeconomicrevolutionandthedauntingchallenges,andalsoopportunities,theyanticipateditislikelytopresent.Certainly,manyfolksalreadyexperiencethepainofchange,whilstnotunderstandingthenatureofthatchange.Hawkenetal(1999)affirmthattheprevailingmodelforcreatingwealth,amodelthathasitsrootsintheindustrialrevolutionandthatdominatedthelastcentury,nolongerapplies.Still,thereisacryfromcertainquartersagainstneo-liberalcapitalisteconomicsthatisoftenaccompaniedbyahankeringaftertheoldsocialistideal.However,wesuggestthatbotheconomicmodelsarerootedintheself-sameoutdatedmaterialisticparadigm.Nurnberger(1998)remindsthatwhilstMarxism-Leninismhascollapsed,wemustrecallthatsocialismhasbeenaresponsetothefailuresofcapitalisminthefirstplace.Capitalism,heasserts,hasledtophenomenalgrowthineconomiccentres,butitremainsunabletoovercomepoverty,economicmarginalization,andreducedepletionandecologicaldeteriorationonaglobalscale.However,heconcedes,nothingcanbegainedfromtryingtoreinventthewheel,repeatoldmistakes,andrehashobsoletearguments.Wesimplyhavetoreconfigureourconceptionofeconomics.Consequently,itishelpfultoconsiderthewordsofAspden(1995)ofFinancialTimeswhocommentsthatitisabout;

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‘Reformulatingtherelationshipbetweendemocraticrightsandeconomicprogressinanagewhenthetriumphalismofthetechnologicaladvancemasksanunconfidentvisionofthefuture.’Beinhocker(2006),forexample,arguesthatworldresearchersareupendingahundredyearsofeconomictheoryandrecastingtheeconomyasa‘teemingevolutionarystew’,acomplexadaptivesystemmoreakintothebrain,theinternet,oranecosystemthantothestaticpicturepresentedbytraditionaltheory.Thechallengeisdaunting,especiallyforfearoftheunforeseenconsequencesofregulatingeconomicssystemsindifferentways.Thisisnodoubtbecause,incontrasttothenewapproachtoeconomictheory,conventionaleconomicsisrootedinmechanisticconventionalthinking.Inordertobeself-validating,economic‘science’hascorrelateditlogicstothecomforting‘lawsofphysics’.AnexampleofthisisNewton’sequilibriumtheoryasappliedtowealthdistribution.Inhissecondlawofthermodynamics,overtime,energyisshowntodissipateevenly.Sotoo,theargumentgoes,wealthandprosperityshouldeventuallyevenout.Supportedbycomplicatedeconomicequations,itclaimsthatwithnaturalhumanself-interest,rationalchoice,andtheequalizerofcompetition,weshouldbeabletopredicteconomicprospectsanddevelopments-andwealthwhengeneratedshouldspreadouttothebenefitofall.Butwealthisnotspreadingoutinanequitableway-evidenceshowsthesteadyerosionofthetypicallystablemiddle-incomegroup.Andtheevidenceisfurtherthateconomicshockshavenotbeenpredictable-so-calledeconomiccyclesnotwithstanding.Neweconomictheorystressesthattheeconomyisnotamachineatwork,itisabouthumansinteractinginaVUCAworld.Inrecognisingeconomicsascomplexcollectivehumanbehaviour,neweconomicsthenbeginstore-examinethatphenomenonthroughpost-conventionalthinking.Inthisdigitalagewithitsinterconnectedglobaleconomy,thatperspectivecaninformakeyleadershipcapacity.Itdemandsawareness,agility,engagement,resilience,andcreativity.

Ormerod(2012)presentstwoalternativeeconomicmotivationalviewsinthisinterlinkedanddigitallybasedemergingeconomy.Thefirstis‘nudgetheory’,suggestingthatproducersandconsumerscouldnowbeinfluencedtogoodbybeingofferedanincentive.Thesecondis‘networktheory’,suggestingthatpeopleimitatedthosearoundtheminordertofitin.ThiscanberelatedtoBarrett’sdescriptionofthesocializationbeingpartofpsychologicaldevelopment.Ormerodassertsthatthesetwoapparentlyopposingtheoriesofeconomicscannowbefruitfullybroughttogether.Heassertsthatinourevermoredynamicandintertwinedsocieties,networkeffectsbecamemoreprofound.Consequently,aswithDavidsonandRees-Moggquotedabove,hesuggestsoptimizingthosepositivelinkingaspects.Butanevenmoreradicalviewispresentedwhereeconomicsisconsideredtobea‘sacred’process.Eisenstein(2011)tracesthehistoryofmoneyandrevealshowithasfosteredcompetitionandscarcity.Money,hesuggests,hasnotonlydestroyedcommunity,buthasnecessitatedendlessgrowth.Heoffersthatitistimetotransitiontoamoresustainablewayoflivingandexploresneweconomics,includingsuchnotionsasnegativeinterestcurrenciesandthephenomenonoflocalcurrencies.Heproposesresourced-basedeconomicsas‘gifteconomies’thatincludetherestorationofthecommons.Weconcludethatpost-conventionalthinkingismostfittoleadthattransition-andeconomicscannowbeseenasapotentialengineofwholeness-making.

Realityina‘post-truth’worldofvirtualreality.Anewandrealtesttoleadershipatalllevelsisthepotentialmanipulationofinformation,andthepublicmind,inthedigitalage.Wehaveemphasisedtheevolvingnatureofthegloballyinterconnectedinformationeconomyinthefourthindustrialrevolution.Withitsmanytechnologicaladvantagesofartificialintelligence,roboticsandnanotechnology,advancingdigitaltechnologyneverthelessrendersthepublicmindincreasinglyvulnerable.

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Wehaveshownhowhumanconsciousnessevolvedfromthepre-conventionalmodesofthinkingreliantontraditionalknowledgesystems,totheconventionalmodernistmodeoftheso-calledscientificera,relyingontheempirical‘evidence-based’methodto‘know’reality.Itisalsoimportantforleadershiptorecognisethatconsciousnesscoevolveswithtechnologyanditsaccompanyingeconomicapplications.Wehaveattemptedtoshowhowourglobalepistemologyandethoshasshiftedinthattimeframedominatedbythe‘conventionalthinking’fromouroncedominantpre-conventional‘religiousnarrative’toapredominantly‘scientific/industrialnarrative’.Thepost-conventionalthinkinganticipatedmightbebetterinformedbyalivingsystems‘organismic/spiritualnarrative’.Wehavearguedthatthedominantreductionistandmaterialisticfixationoftheempiricalmethodmightinhibiteffectivecomprehensionandadaptationtothenaturalcomplexityandemergenceoflivingsystems.Similarly,conventionalthinkingalsostrugglestocomprehendthecomplexityanddynamismoftheemergingworldofvirtualreality.Theforcesbeingunleashedandmanipulatedarebestexpressed,wehaveshown,bytheVUCAacronym.Withdigitaltechnology,drivenbyself-learningandpotentiallymanipulativealgorithms,catapultinghumanityintoanuncertainfuture,humanconsciousnessmustevolvetopost-conventionalthinking.Thisbecomesthecorechallengeofleadership.Thedisciplineofcomplexityandemergence,wehaveshown,offersahelpfullenstounderstandtheprocessandemergenceofcomplexdynamicalsystems.Itprovidesvaluableinsightsintothetechnologiesandstrategiesofmanipulationofhumanperception.Governmentsandmega-corporationsareinevitablycomplicitinthepower-gamefordominationofthepublicmind;potentiallycorrosiveoffreedomanddemocracy.Post-conventionalthinkingcanempowercivilsocietywithcriticalcounterresourcesandstrategies.Wecanuseelectromagneticfiretofightfire.Sincethetrendofthefourthindustrialrevolutionisfromeconomicdominanceofmaterialobjectstowardsnovelexperience,post-conventionalthinkingischaracterisedbyholisticfocusonwhatisrevealedasrealandtrueindiverse,sustainableecologies.Sinceitfocusesonretrievinggenuinerelationalityascharacterbuildingexperience,thatopportunitybecomestheprovinceofleadershippoetics.BringingitalltogetherDeeHockstressedthatwesimplyneedtogetoutofourownway,andAdriaandeLange'smodelofsevenessentialitiesofcreativitycanbecorrelatedtothehumanendocrinesystem.Thiscallsustoreassesswhoandwhatweare.Thedepthofhumanpotentialisthusfurtherunveiled.Wehaveemphasisedtheneedtoleadorganisationstowardsgenuinesocialandecologicalvalue-addinggoalswithaconsciousfocusonmovementandprocess.Wehavesuggestedcreatingacompellingnarrativetoofferaninspiringvision.Wehaveurgedenhancedfocusinthebuildingoftrustandcollaboration,throughsensitiveengagementandwehaveencouragedtheaccessingandmobilizationofthedeeperresourcesoftheindividualandtheteam.

Leadingwithphenomenologicalempathyrequiresspeakingfromtheheartwithavisionthatresonateswiththefuturesuccessofhumankind.Anewpoemofoursharedidentityseeksmetaphorsthatwillallowustosucceedasaspecies.Thenarrativewantstoofferanopportunityforourinitiationintoanewidentity,whichexperiences,intuits,preservesandincreaseswholeness.Ultimatelyitisaboutbringingtheeternalintothetemporal.Forus,thisisapoeticsofleadership.

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Aspden,Peter(1997),from‘DisclosingNewWorlds’,MITPressBarrett,Richard(2010),‘NewLeadershipParadigm-LeadingSelf,LeadingOthers,LeadingOrganisation,LeadinginSociety’,ValuesCentreBeck,Don&Cowan,Chris(1996)‘SpiralDynamics’,BlackwellBeinhocker,Eric(2006),‘TheOriginofWealth-Evolution,Complexity,andtheRadicalRemakingofEconomics’,RHBusinessBooksBoone,Mary&Snowden,David(2007),‘ALeadersFrameworkforDecision-Making’,HarvardBusinessReviewBrent&McKergow(2017)‘AppreciativeLeadership’in‘InspiringLeadership’,BloomsburyCapra,Fritjof&Luisi,Pierre(2014),‘TheSystemsViewofLife-UnifyingVision’,CambridgeUniversityPressCowan,Christopher&Todorovic,Natasha(2005),‘TheNever-EndingQuest,ClareGravesExploresHumanNature’,EcletPublishingDavidson&Rees-Mogg(1988),‘TheSovereignIndividual’,PanBooksDeLange,Adriaan-unpublishedwork:http://www.learning-org.com/98.03/0336.htmlDilts,Robert&Epstein,Todd(1991)‘ToolsforDreamers’,MetaPublicationsDonaldson,Verhane&Cording(2002),‘EthicalIssuesinBusiness’,PrenticeHallEinstein,Albert(Republished1995)‘Relativity’,PrometheusBooksEisenstein,Charles(2011),‘SacredEconomics-Money,GiftandSocietyintheAgeofTransition’,EvolverEditionsFernandez-Armesto,Felipe(1996)‘Millennium:AHistoryofOurLastThousandYears’,BlackSwanFleming&Delves,eds.(2017),‘InspiringLeadership’,BloomsburyGreenleaf,Robert(2002),‘TheServantLeaderWithin-ATransformativePath’,PaulistPressHawken,Paul,Lovins,Amory,&Lovins,L.Hunter(1999),‘NaturalCapitalism’,LittleBrownandCompanyHind,Patricia(2017)‘LeadingforGrowth’inIbid,‘InspiringLeadership’,BloomsburyHock,Dee(1999),‘BirthoftheChaordicAge’Berrett-KoehlerKnight,Sue(1995)‘NLPAtWork-Thedifferencethatmakesthedifferenceinbusiness’,NicholasBrealyPublishingKorzybski,Alfred(1947)‘GeneralSemantics’Kuhn,Thomas(1962),‘TheStructureofScientificRevolutions’,UniversityofChicagoPressLaloux,Frederick(2014),‘ReinventingOrganizations’,NelsonParkerMcKergow,Mark&Bailey,Helen(2014),‘HostLeadership-SixNewRolesofEngagement’,SolutionBooksMitleton-Kelly,Eve(2011)from‘MovingForwardwithComplexity’Eds.TaitandRichardson,EmergentPublicationsMorin,Edgar(2008),‘OnComplexity’,HamptonPressNurnberger,Klaus,(1999),‘BeyondMarxandMarket,Outcomesofacenturyofeconomicexperimentation’,ZedBooksOlivier,Sharon&Holscher,Fritz,(2017),‘Tacklingtheengagementdilemma,theroleofEgo-andEco-Intelligence’in‘InspiringLeadership’,eds.Fleming&DelvesOlsen,Edwin&Eoyang,Glenda(2001),‘FacilitatingOrganizationChange-LessonsfromComplexityScience’,Jossey-Bass/PfeifferOrmerod,Paul,(2012),‘PositiveLinking-hownetworksarerevolutionizingyourworld’,Faber&FaberRzevski,George(2011),Ibid:‘MovingForwardwithComplexity’,eds.TaitandRichardson,EmergentPublicationsSeeley,Chris&Thornhill,Ellen(2014),‘ArtfulOrganisation’,AshridgeBusinessSchoolSenge,Peter(1990),‘TheFifthDiscipline-ArtandPracticeoftheLearningOrganisation’,ArtKleinerSharpe,Bill&vandenHeijden,Kees,(2007),‘ScenariosforSuccess-TurningInsightsintoAction’,JohnWiley&Sons

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Schumacher,E.F,(1977),‘GuideforthePerplexed’,JonathanCapeSmith,Pamela,(1997),‘EnvironmentalEthics’PaulistPressSpinosa,Flores&Dreyfus(1997),‘DisclosingNewWorlds-Entrepreneurship,DemocraticAction,andtheCultivationofSolidarity’,MITPressStacey,Ralph(2012),‘LeadershipandManagement-Meetingthechallengeofcomplexity,’RoutledgeTaleb,Nassim(2013),‘Antifragile-ThingsthatGainfromDisorder’,PenguinVanderHeijden,Kees(2005),‘Scenarios-TheArtofStrategicConversation’,JohnWiley&SonsWilkinson,Angela(2007),Ibid,‘ScenariosforSuccess’Eds.SharpeandvandenHeijdenZohar,Danah&Marshall,Ian(2004),‘SpiritualCapital,WealthWeCanLiveBy’,Bloomsbury ClaudiusvanWykClaudius applies complexity-science enabled insights to strategic management and leadershipfocused on organisational wellness and sustainability. He holds post-graduate degrees in appliedbusiness ethics and organisational behaviour and was awarded a Ph.D. by the Indian Board ofAlternative Medicine for his research into a transformed epistemology of holistic science towellness.Claudiusmanagedthe‘GondwanaAlive’initiativeinthe2002JohannesburgWSSD.Heparticipatedin a research project for UNEP with the LSE Complexity Research Group. Articles have beenpublishedinjournalssuchasGreenbuild,Biophile,andtheHolisticScienceJournal,andhispaperoncomplexity and organisational changemanagementwas published in the book, “Moving ForwardwithComplexity”.HehaspresentedpapersonappliedcomplexitytheoryintheUK,SouthAfricaandBrazil.Claudius lecturedMAeconomics students SchumacherCollegeon complexity sci-enceapproacheswhere he also developed a short-course, ‘Holism and Leadership - transforming organisationalpraxis’. He addressed conferences on economics and governance at Kingston University, London,and theUniversity of Pretoria.He serves as externalmarker forAshridgeBusiness School in theirpost-graduatemaster’sinmanagementprogram.HeisamemberofSynthesisComplexityResearch.188wordsJoshuaPaulMalkinJoshua facilitates theco-creationof sharedvaluewithcommunities,organisationsandbusinesses.Having worked at the start of his career as an artist and arts educator, he was offered anopportunity to work in urban regeneration at the city level. He created a process of communityvisioning inplanningcitiesthat informedamajorcity-centredevelopmentwhichwaspresentedattheInternationalLiveableCitiesConferencein1992andpublishedinTCPAJournalofthesameyear.He became convincedof the interconnection betweenhealth creation andwealth creationwhichhasinformedhisworkeversince.Theideathatcitiesandneighbourhoodsarehealthgeneratingordiminishingstructuresledtoworkonwellbeing,civilecologyandthecommonswiththeCivilSocietyForum,NetworkofWellbeingandtheCommonsEquitySociety.In2015 JoshuapresentedapaperatCumbriaUniversity's LeadingWellbeingResearchFestivalon‘Gender, Culture & The Politics of Wellbeing: Parenting as a Model for Leadership’. His currentresearchinterestsarefocusedontheroleoffaithgroupsinthetransitionfromaparadigmofLiberalDemocracy toCompassionateDemocracy.He is currently co-convenorof theCivil SocietyAllianceandatrusteeoftheSouthDevonSteinerSchool.199words