Work Complexity Institute - crafting something New!

Work Complexity Institute - crafting something New!

We met on the 35th floor boardroom (thanks Pete) overlooking Sydney harbour, our view peaking above the crowded busyness of Martin Place. Our intent was to investigate interest in setting up a new institute to draw together all those who have worked with and who have an interest in the theories and practices of Work Complexity, Human Capability and Effective Managerial Leadership.

When I put this concept to the stakeholders I thought may be interested I was trying not only to cover the work of Elliott Jaques, Gillian Stamp, but also to include other whole systems thinking concepts, with one caveat; that they had proven resilient over time.


I received a number of emails expressing support and also a goodly number of people who would like to attend, but were unable for various reasons.   Interest in the concept of the institute also came from outside Australia.  I took the open space approach of whoever comes, will be the right people.


Well, what an interesting group of talented people arrived at that meeting and two and half hours passed in a stimulating and exciting debate.  The group was bound by common interests and galvanised by what might be possible.  There was a common belief that here was a space for great work to be done and  overwhelmingly felt the idea of a Institute had legs.

Here are some of the discussion points;

• There is significant scope for research and development and product development.  An impressive array of existing products could be tabled and some of the members present had ideas for new products - for example  around IT organisations - ITIL and levels of work information.  Accreditation could be offered in a range of products and methodologies.  Research was also required around a host of issues that were last critically investigated decades ago.
   
•  An institute could address issues of quality and stickiness through ongoing education of members.  Quality and education came up again and again. Why were major organisations no longer using these models?  Was it because a CEO had come or gone or because of partial or poor implementations?  Others returned to them over periods of time, while others have used it consistently for three decades plus.  Despite a long and patchy record, many of these models are still in active use precisely because they are so comprehensive and deep.  Poor quality and too rigid interventions had caused significant damage to the work complexity based movement.
   
• Some felt that gaining access to knowledge and practice was difficulty and the learning curve very steep not only because of depth but also because of IP and copyright restrictions and a closed guild mentality.  This view, while prevalent  is dated as much has been published that is in the public domain and we felt that it was in the common good to make this information more accessible through a membership base with requisite governance frameworks in place.  However, where IP existed this would be respected and where possible agreements and relationships forged.
   
• There was a strongly expressed need for cooperation and the assumption of TRUST. Independence was valued, but so was membership of a peak body.  Discussions felt the membership base would be practitioners, independent, corporate and not for profit.
  
  
• A clearly articulated Purpose would be needed plus a concept of value adding to its customer base so that membership was sought and valued.

Conclusion

The group spent some time working on a Purpose statement and the meeting ended with everyone expressing their willingness to devote time over December and January to offer input into taking the institute to the next level.

Thank you Brent, Jenny, Josh, Bryan, Bruce, Jon, Annemarie and Wayne (and to all those who sent messages of support and interest).

Manifesting a Transition Centre

This is Version 2.  My first attempt was circulated to a very small group who gave me some really valuable feedback and I do thank you all sincerely. This version is open to a much broader community for feedback and input - especially around suggestions for content and programme offerings.  Contents which already exist to a greater or lesser extent and which I hope to offer are indicated with an  asterix*. In advance, I thank you...

The Transition Centre


The Transition Centre will provide a nexus for transitioning people /organisations/societies into a new way of thinking and being to address the challenges of the future.

Purpose

1. to create a physical and virtual space of transformation to help/ assist people, communities, organisations and societies to move to a new and different way of Life that the Future requires.
2. to offer transition through community, learning, innovation, education, practices, spirituality and leadership
3. to connect like minded individuals, communities, organisations and movements
4. to deliver the message of Transition to a broad range of audiences

 Our Stakeholders are...

1. People with a Passion for Contributing to Change - those searching for a way of living, working and being that is relevant to the changed needs of society and to meet their own desire for sustainability, community,right living and spirituality
2. People Seeking Change - those out of flow with their Journey.... work, personal, private or their own Self
3. Change Agents at all levels who are aiming for Transition. For Business, the Centre will offer innovative as well as tested models, approaches and practices for Transformation. For Communities - advice, expertise and practical experience in Transition Towns, building Societal capacity; Good Governance and Social Justice
4. Community, Thought Leaders, Visitors and Guests - those sharing, stimulating, working, participating, contributing, offering and leading for a progressive and sustainable future.

Workshops, Programmes and Retreats


Sustainable Living

• Transition Towns
• Sustainable Living 

Macro Change

• The Changing World & Your Community
• Being There - strengthening accountability in the "developing world"©*
• Required Organisation - An Introduction*
• Required Organisation - Structure*
• Required Organisation - Talent*
• Required Organisation - Leadership*

Micro Change

• The Transformation Game™*
• Your Working Journey (Career Path Appreciation/iReap/Values Appreciation)*
• Frameworks for Change*
• You Pty Ltd and Us Inc.©
• Micro-economics - Right Living

Health and Well-being

• Spiritual Practices
• Dance
• Massage
• Yoga Meditation
• Grieving
• Art and Sculpture
• Retreat

Values

• First do no harm
• Voluntary Simplicity
• Encourage the Need for Personal Awareness and Action about Sustainability
• Seek local and global community
• Encourage Spiritual Practices

End.

Finding Purpose in the shadows - the relentless need for Transformation

Because Life is restless and change is constant, we need to be regularly transforming ourselves to meet this demand.  Many of us do this by responding to society and its demands.  Few actively shape their destiny.   Of the 1,200 individuals I have been privileged to work with I know of at least ten in the last decade who become CEOs.  Some are entrepreneurs  and all really wanted to be CEOs and business leaders.  It was their purpose. 

Too few have realized the dreams/aspirations/hopes that they shared in our appreciative discussions.  I don't know why, many have certainly not fulfilled their theoretical capability and have accepted their lot as career options have narrowed and the years slip by...

Their purpose.

A Different Sort of Game !

I have delved into this a little. Where does Purpose come from and what is it?   Purpose has been around since humanity evolved into upright, tool making, cognisant beings. 

So I asked if there appears to be any commonality in responses.   For many who choose to paddle their own canoes they have made decisions based on listening to and acting on an inner voice.

I call this listening to "the Voice in the Shadows" and by that I  mean paying attention to that something we called intuition.  For many of us, Intuition really does battle to make it itself heard, because we make it as difficult as possible by filling our lives, as my friend Mary O'Brien says with "busy, busy, busy".  Sometimes that Voice goes away and we are left with feelings of regret for doors we never had the courage to open.

Yet for some people the voice from the shadows does not go away; it comes back and when it does we need to listen up.  It is about deep purpose and is not so much about a career path as a career destiny[i].  When one finally realizes that and accepts it; the quicker the pace of change becomes and  if it is uncomfortable, the quicker you have to move, the easier it is.  No one said being on purpose is easy; it just means you have access to a few simple tools like being in flow, resilience, energy, synchronicity, creativity and most of all faith.

Let me tell you a personal story that goes back more than 25 years.  I was a fresh ex-military officer, recently married and working in a mining community with a wonderful job, when I visited Findhorn, a community in the north of Scotland dedicated to an alternative way of living. It has been really successful, but is not driven by business ethics or values and making profits is not on its agenda.  In fact these are values it rejects.

Findhorn has its own teaching institution offering a unique product range, dedicated to an alternative way of living based on values of community.  It has a unique brand and deals in kindness, learning and compassion (value systems of green, yellow and turquoise). It exports energy through its wind farm, practices permaculture, right living, sewage treatment and heating. After fifty years of existence, it operates with an informal global network.

But something stopped me from entering that day twenty five years ago; it was like walking into a brick wall.  Many years later I would later rationalize that it was a clash of different value systems; mine,  the military and business; theirs inclusiveness, community, sustainability, spirituality, compassion; in short a totally different way of living.  In trying to explain my reaction I summed it up with a crass summary of their world view - “if we love each other enough it will all be OK"  What a simple and convenient explanation.

It took 25 years of immersion in the business world, three companies and chasing the dollar; including moving continents twice and collecting lots of pain along route before I would return to the gates of Findhorn. This time however, I made it through.  There was no hesitation now,  no longer was it a call from the shadows. Vuokko, a colleague from Finland talks about how the Voice in the Shadows can become a BIG voice when it is time!

Action is Needed

I came to realise that I had been ignoring my intuitive sense of purpose and it had taken 25 years to understand the message and acknowledge it, although it had regularly and consistently steered me towards a specific path.   

So what was the voice from the shadows?  Let me contextualise;  A new world is emerging which like it or not, is restless and unwelcoming to nine billion of us. Not that we are short of warning; remember Limits of Growth (Meadows et al), Small is Beautiful (Schumacher),  Collapse (Diamond) or McGibben’s Eaarth and Paul Gildings The Great Disruption to mention just a few.

And the warnings go on... a quick glance at my morning copy of The Independent featured a major report saying the world’s oceans are faced with an unprecedented loss of species comparable to the great mass extinctions of prehistory.  The report by a panel of 27 leading marine scientists considered the latest research from all areas of marine science and concluded that a “combination of stressors is creating the conditions associated with every previous major extinction of species in Earth’s history.”
 

The report offered recommendations and calls to take measures that would better conserve ocean ecosystem and in particular demands the urgent adoption of better governance of the largely unprotected high seas.[ii]   But the UN is powerless, just yesterday the Security Council members showed their persistent inability to forge an international consensus on climate change issues[iii].  

 Suffice to say, in this critical decade we cannot ignore or fail to respond in some way to a difficult call.

The problem is growth is still seen as a solution.  That the only hope for Greece is to grow its way out of bankruptcy (well we know they were bailed out).  Our market economy's solution to faltering systems is growth.  Let’s grow the market of our Planet’s 9 billion people by  offering them an illusion. 

I met Paul Dickerson, CEO of the Carbon Disclosure Project, who aims to increase transparency on carbon emissions and to analyse the data supplied by many different corporate resources. Paul was running his operation on five million pounds and he needed 50 million to get the job done.  Could I help?

Madness

So where do we start? I don’t think tinkering with big complex systems is the answer anymore.  At least for simple individuals like me.  And I don’t believe that those at the head of governments or corporates have the leadership ability to steer our species into the future, even with all their capability.  I think this time around the movement for change must come from the bottom upwards and like Schumacher said, small is beautiful.

And that brings me back to the intuition - the Voice in the Shadows.  Almost all the work I had been doing in business was, I realised, preparation for this Call to Adventure.  And the how was what I finally confronting.  I realised in hindsight that voice in the shadows had always been there, pushing, shoving, giving pain, giving reward;  in a specific direction. 

Well, maybe I have not been ready.

I have known for decades at a subconscious level what I need to do, but I was not ready to accept the challenge.  I wanted security, I wanted control, I wanted corporate support and I wanted to belong.    Well in spite of 25 years of trying, including 10 years of being in an uncomfortable rut I did not achieve those objectives.  I also realised I had not been willing to take the risk of letting go and accepting that the only option for an abundant life is to transform. 

So, with the full understanding that life is short, and I want to fill it fun, giving, adventure and being on purpose, I am stepping out again.  Yes; of course with apprehension, some fear and trepidation, but also with a wonderful feeling of being alive and empowered.  I think taking power back is intoxicating.  The intuitive voice had whispered in my ear 25 years ago what I needed to be doing, but I was not ready to accept it then until Life SHOUTED at me.  Once I have accepted that, powerful synchronicity has come to play offering a web of connections within a whirlwind period of two weeks.

 
Do you have a Voice in the Shadows? 

---

[i]  Davis, Susan The Trojan Horse of Love.  July 2010. Ebook.  

[ii] Report by Michale McCarthy.  The Independent.  21/06/11

[iii] Report by Neil  Macfarquhar.   The International Herald Tribute.  22/07/11

[iv]Report by Alison Benjamin. The Guardian.  23/06/11

Island Economy... its up to us!

I recently attended a public debate on "A New Tasmanian Economy" organised at the University of Tasmania. Considering it was a bitterly cold night with snow on the mountain the turnout was good.

I had some reservations about going, as no one on the panel was from business, but I enjoy listening to leaders in their fields and try to keep an open mind. Three mates came with, Bob from education, Mark from Tourism and Neil, a retired businessman and active volunteer.

There was some discussions after the panelist had done their eight minute presentations. One concerned our island talent pools. It was generally felt that children should go out and get experiences, but then be encouraged to return to build Tasmania. I found that debate naive.

There have been a number of studies done on national talent pools and their diaspora. One particular study (Massey University 2005) examined 4,500 professional Kiwis who had left New Zealand to live abroad. Of those in senior executive roles, CEOs and entrepreneurs,  none expressed the intention of returning as much as they wanted, since there were no high level roles available for them in essentially a branch office economy.

Underline and bold this for Tassie. With 500,000 people and an even smaller branch office economy and introspective culture, our island bleeds high potential to levels of work challenge that our small island state cannot ever offer. It is precisely these high potentials who create the engines for building a robust economy.  We export this precious resource.

As an aside, our work deals with the talent pools of major companies, both national and global.  I often find Tasmanians in senior roles;  all talk about wanting to return, but admit there is no work challenge to attract them.

Someone in the panel commented that with technology one can live and work anywhere.That is true. My wife and I live in Tasmania but don't earn our daily crust here; we do it through Skype, Internet technology and pay the price with heavy carbon footprints and in the past, parenting by relay.

Almost every speaker had the mandatory wail about poor productivity, government and state public service bureaucracy; losing the wrong talent through cost cutting; poor service delivery, obsession with process; short termism (and the market???) and being spread too thinly across too many fronts without resources.

The worrying thing is I don't think public sector leadership is curious about improving accountability, performance or delivery. For example, over the last half century our network has worked with restructuring British National Health, British Gas, the US Army and US Military Medical Services and Rio Tinto to name but a few. I am informed colleagues are doing a restructure of White Hall under the British PM.

We offered a free session in Hobart on these principles in 2009 and there was no interest. Nada. Ah, sour grapes you may say, but no, just disappointment. When Lara Gidding was Minister of Health I wrote to her, telling her about the work in the NHS. I received a response (thank you) promising followup (which never materialised). I offered my services free to the Tasmanian Leaders Programme, but the offer fell on stoney ground.

And then thank heavens, it happened. Someone in the panel mentioned there was no long term strategic vision of a future Tasmania.  We agreed later this was one factor not stressed sufficiently in the discussion.  It was Peter Poulet, the state architect who spoke about passion, vision, doing something different, thinking creatively and more laterally that was needed to build a resilient contemporary economy. He is right, we need to build something that makes our island an exemplar, a beacon of light that shines out to the world, bringing tourism, business, entrepreneurs, while attracting back our diaspora. Good on you Peter.

At the end of the evening the panel was asked their wish for the future economy of Tasmania. They responded with thoughts about prosperous futures, inspiring outcomes, more engagement, improved delivery in the public sector, a more efficient government structure, larger populations built around sustainable cities and every kid finishing Year 12. Good stuff, but we need Visionary Leadership across multiple themes to make this happen.

We need rallying visions that create the attraction.   I am not going to do a list of "We need..." but suffice to say we do need some action.  Talk fests are great, but they need executable outcomes and simple clear messages.   Like Saul Eslake said, how about a rallying cry of "No Year 10 dropouts" (my friend Bob later offered a sensible refinement to that call) and like Peter Poulet said, how about a truly green island that is an example that attracts people. We need to be an exemplar for the society of the future. Why not a carbon neutral city?

We can do it, we have the right scale to be an incubator of the society of the future. It all has to start with with each one of us. Sue Maher has stated the Journey. I am going to as well...

Aluta Continua

It all starts within... (continued)

In my last blog on 17 May I suggested that any real change must start within ourselves. For real change to be effected - four factors need to be present and interact with each other at the same time. These are;

Courage, Commitment, Passion and a Plan (or C2P2)

The point at which we decide to commit is interesting in itself. Often it can take a long time for these four factors to come together, especially when we are out of flow, dissatisfied, frustrated and desperately want to change but lack a plan, or have a plan but lack courage.

Another point of commitment can come through experiencing or recognising unexpected synchronicity, unexpected and unrelated events which we see as being harbingers of a new path.

As I mentioned in my 17 May blog my own work (which I have valued greatly), has brought me to the point where I feel the need for the magic of the "and". There is a big scale crises global crises on its way and because of the way we (and our leaders) deal with time (few are really comfortable to act with conviction on long term scenarios or create personal scenarios) we may only wake up when it may be too late. For many species and for some landscapes, it is already too late.

So my C2P boils down to having the factors for wanting change, minus the plan. How can I influence people when I am no example myself? Materialism is no answer, the junk piles up, what was wanted, is tossed aside while we are urged to get something newer, better, shiner. None of this brings a sense of real flow, belonging or allows for deep valuing.

I would like to do what Becca does in my book, influence values at the individual level, make a real difference, help people to Make their Move.

Well, synchronicity played a part. Sue Maher, who lives down the road from me was made redundant and decided on a new career; setting up an urban garden. A planned undertaking, with chooks, vegetables, fruit and recycling.

I say this urban transformation taking place and decided to pop in for a chat. Wow, she was inspirational! She started this garden six months ago and they now have quality organic food, at home. And three beds produce all she needs and there are another eight waiting....

She plans on extending the garden, sell her produce in the 'hood and has a vision of local people adopting one of the beds and growing their own food, with her help if required, which they take home and she takes a small percentage of product. A social hub aimed at sustainability in an urban setting.

I professed I have no green in fingers but when she agreed to involve me and others in the neighbourhood in preparing the other six beds I jumped at the learning opportunity. So, I am going to buy three beds, ($80 apiece) and as she prepare her beds, I will do the same at home.

I think sustainability starts at the point when we realise we need to do something more then change our light globes. So, that is my decision point. When I come back from my CO2 emitting jet trip to the UK, I will do repentance by growing my own food at in least in part!!

Well done Sue, an inspiration. What other stories are there like this?

I can now start to see a plan unfolding!!

It starts inside

We all profess concern about sustainability.

I read Paul Gilding's book on "The Great Disruption" and am alarmed and horrified by what I feel to be true. We are heading towards a human "collapse" and our limits of growth are well and truly breached.

I read that my return flight from Australia to the UK will produce 5.2 tons of greenhouse emissions per passenger. Per passenger.

I read that Apple and Boeing were rated in 2008 amongst the top environmental polluters in the USA.
I read... well, I could go on.

But I won't. You get the idea. I cringe. I am a contributor to the problem. Probably like you? We have three teenage kids, multiple desktop computers, iPads, notebooks, ads, TVs, three cars, but we are even worse - we don't earn a living in our home town, we fly to clients or; congratulate ourselves because we use Skype for meetings and business...

And some of our clients are busting guts on how to grow their busienss so in the process they can use more resources and add to global emissions and waste....

I live on a beautiful island that is green in name only (image above). It's very shaky government has no long term vision of what it is or what it wants to become. Only 30% of the people are self employed - the rest rely on state or federal government for their main source of income. There is no sense of urgency to build a real vision for the island with its half a million inhabitants either. It is lost in detail. A shop owner can't operate his business until the City Council approves repair plans to his damaged building, yet it it fusses over attractive red awnings hung on a dull street.

I am going on a bit of a pilgrimage soon; a chance to think and maybe even reset my own values and personal purpose. Lately I have found myself thinking that the real change people talk about desiring; either from a professed concern for sustainability (but no one wants a carbon tax), being dissatisfied, lonely, out of flow and despite having all the material wealth (and we never have enough) has to starts from within.

No government or council will do it for you. In fact I doubt anyone will be able to change the hugely complex and interrelated systems we have created. I am not sure Paul Gilding is right, that one day we will suddenly be galvanised into a war footing.

No, I think the change has to start within. At a local community level. Between neighour on a street. It has to I think starts with us seriously questioning our choices and deciding we have Enough. In fact I have written a fictitious story about this, which has really caused me to start thinking about what Enough could mean.

Letters

Hi Julie

Good to hear you are back in town... sounds an insightful journey.. I must apologies for the delay in replying but I am writing full time and the day goes past in a blur of writing fever, domestic chores and the dad role.

Re a quick comment on your trip; it sounds wonderful and you are clearly inspired. Inspiration, passion, your compelling vision are at the foundations of your purpose, but you are going to
need lots of stubborn persistence and then some more. As you say, efforts like this and those by Ken et al are challenging paths and funding is a big challenge - almost always. You will need to try and leverage all your clients.

Thank you for taking the time to write this all down - I hope it is part of your journalling? I was involved with Spiral Dynamics a very long time ago and have kept an interest in this field,
but its practical applications have always eluded me. Love the theory!

I remember Don Beck saying Ken Wilber had become very interested in the work and reading your notes, Ken must have changed his version of Becks/ Graves model re his colour coding - . Are you familiar with the Spirals Dynamics version? Did you discuss the shift between group and individual value systems ? Dawkins called the values memes and which I think fits really well...

I see you were in Denver - I attended a Strategy of the Dolphin Workshop in that city and that is where i first became involved with Spiral Dynamics. I then worked separately with Don Beck and Dudley Lynch to introduce Spirals to South Africa. Strategy of the Dolphin is an interesting little book and took me a great adventure in what seems another life. Don did some amazing spiral analysis in South Africa at the end of Apartheid, which he published in a book called The Crucible.

Anyhow, good to hear they are doing something to use it in the fight against poverty but not sure how. - there are almost 7 billion people on the planet, and 65% of them live in Asia - and those
societies cover the full spectrum of the value systems, but the vast majority are, like Africa, Eurasia and South America, driven by the older value systems of purple (kinship), red (power)
and ruled by a thin line of blue and now driven by a low orange commercialism (achievement, performance, short term gain) which is why climate change is such a danger.

Green has I agree, come back refreshed, but does not have the global appeal or power to make the changes needed. I don't think there is any real evidence of a big global shift on the cards as much as some would wish it. I am always concerned that many Americans and first world thinkers (Green evolved) see the world from value systems that has lost touch with the nitty gritty power of the old values systems and how market capitalism has been shifting global populations to a low orange need driven meme as they escape the poverty trap (eg profileration of cars/bicycles, consumer goods /energy demand).

I have just read a brochure for a Future Trends conference in the US and it is again driven by Orange - there is no awareness that over the next fifty years the world is going to be very uncomfortable and unstable and business and society will change irrevocably.

There was no or little mention on how we will need to shift our value systems to Yellow and Turquoise, and make the connections with other "wrap around" meta theories, (which is what I think integral means) so that we replace the old models that have sustained us in a kind gentle Holocene Age where we had room to move and play. Unfortunately, like unaware adolescents we have negatively impacted the Holocene (which should have continued for at least another 2,000 years) so that we will now be living in a different Earth, an Earth that is moving against its viral infection. Us.

Good book to read is Eaarth.. how our planet is now longer Earth.

Sorry, longer then I anticipated. Good luck with the future, please keep me informed. Part of my personal plan is cutting down my carbon print so only making trips when absolutely have to.. I will however let you know when I am in town as our "Found" project opens for applications 31 July - end October.

with a warm hug and good wishes on your venture

Andrew