Core I.D. and Chaos
My favorite explanation on chaotic systems and self-organization within an organization is from Margaret Wheatley that states “Chaos in business is when people move into such deep confusion that they let go of their present conceptions of how to solve a problem. When they move into that place of not knowing, and stay there for a while, what happens is that the process of “self organization” kicks in.”
This means that in order for an organization to self-organize in a positive way you need to ensure that the systems you setup have a constant flow of information flowing through it. In addition to the free flow of information for the system to digest and make their own, it is key that the system, the information flow and the people that make up the system know the core I.D. of their organization so it and they can discern what information is important for the organization to succeed.
What is a core organization I.D.? It is the shared core element that exists within everyone’s mind as to why they show up at work each day. The interesting part is that the system of people needs to play a role in defining this core organizational I.D. An organization must define a core I.D. or else the chaotic patterns that result will be ones that tear it apart versus help it thrive.
Once you have established the core I.D, you will see that people in the system will gravitate around that I.D. in the midst of chaos creating a pattern of benefit to the organization. Don’t panic on the one-offs, don’t rush to fix a situation or attempt to take control, instead step back and take a look at the bigger picture and see how the organization morphs itself around the I.D. and the information taking you further than you could have ever gone through typical command and control tactics.
