Reflections on Chaos
The video “Who Needs Leaders”
provides an example of the exercise/game Obolensky (2010) describes in chapter
six. The object of the game is for 25 or more people to scatter themselves within
the boundaries of a room. Then, one person (the leader) tells each person to
pick two reference points (two other people) within the room; specifically
stating that one cannot indicate who they have picked. Then the leader asks
everyone to move around the room until he or she has space his or herself within
equal distance from each reference point. Initially the room is in constant flux
until order was created. The overall purpose of the game is to show that “the
more complex things are, the less traditional leadership one needs” (Obolensky,
2010, pg. 96). This just goes to show that the underlying reality of chaos is
order.
Due to the complexity of the game,
the number of possible solutions and the way to get to those solutions is huge.
It was interesting to see how the game played out. At first, I thought that the
people within the room would not be able to position themselves equally in
between their reference points. I simply assumed that everyone would remain in
constant movement. However, that was not the case, within a two minutes time everyone
had stop and order was created.
The key here is to understand the
dynamics of chaos and complexity; as well as, the 8 key principles of Complex
Adaptive Leadership. In doing so, a leader can become more effective as he or
she transitions from oligarchy leadership to polyarchy leadership. Obolensky (2010), states that “it is the dynamic
which exists between these principles that is important, and enables each
organization to find their own unique way of applying them.”
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