In the reductionist paradigm, macro behavior of a system is simply the linear sum total of the properties of its micro components. So, when we need to understand, diagnose and improve a system, we can simply functionally decompose the problem till we arrive at its atomic components, and then make the necessary interventions. This is also the thought most managers and leaders continue to entertain about #organizations. Unfortunately (rather fortunately!), social systems like organizations are a #complexadaptivesystem that don’t obey reductionist paradigm, and hence attempts to solve problems in classical manner not only not work but can often make the problem worse than before!
I enjoyed Niels Pflaeging’s easy-to-read book on how organizations need to recognize complexity and not merely solve the problems in a classical #reductionist approach. The book is not only probably the most readable, but also maps complexity to organizations for newbies. As Niels rightly reminds — in a complex system, it is the #interactions that lead to the complex behavior and not the constituent elements. So, tweaking the elements will not only not yield the desired changed, it can lead to other complex behaviors that can further make the situations worse. All #leaders need to learn #complexity!
