Are You Ready for a New Paradigm?

Does your world get more complicated every day?
Do strange things happen to you?
Have your old rules stopped working?
Is your world out of control?
Do you have less time to do more work?

If so, then you have moved into a world of complexity and chaos. Such a world requires a new world view. Only a paradigm that encompasses complex, nonlinear interactions can explain the remarkable behaviors that result from the kinds of organizational change that we experience today. Chaos science provides a foundation for a powerful new paradigm that meets these requirements.

Chaos May Help

Chaos science describes a movement in the physical sciences that investigates the behavior of systems that do not follow linear, Newtonian rules. In this context, chaos does not mean random, rather it refers to behaviors of systems that are too complicated to follow the well-worn paths of simple, linear behaviors. Chaotic systems:

Involve an indefinite number of interrelated parts.
Appear to be random but exhibit deep and subtle patterns of behavior.
Do not follow the simple rules of cause and effect.
Defy predictability.

Many physical systems are currently being investigated through the filter of chaos science. Examples include meteorology, abstract mathematics, fluid dynamics, economics, and thermodynamics. Scientists in all of these disciplines study complex, nonlinear systems to determine what principles interact to result in unpredictable behaviors that characterize such systems.

We believe that human organizations also exhibit many of the characteristics of complex, nonlinear systems. Many of the surprising and startling events that are shocking organizations today become reasonable when they are described in terms drawn from chaos science. Some applications include:

Complex interactions that are fueled by the implementation of powerful technology.
Apparent confusion that follows a commitment to "focus on the customer."
Difficulties experienced by self-managed teams.
Frustrations of managers and employees related to empowerment in the work place.
Dynamics of a diversified work force, including bias, harassment, increased creativity, and cultural sophistication.

The language of chaos science can be applied to organizational situations to provide a new perspective--a perspective that generates new opportunities for understanding and action. Some of the language of chaos includes:

Butterfly effects
Autopoeisis
Scaling
Strange attractors
Coupling
Self-organization
Transforming feedback loops
Boundary conditions

These phrases, and the paradigm from which they come, allow individuals and groups to describe the forces that shape organizational behavior. Such descriptions do not give cookbook solutions to problems. They help frame questions that lead to innovative and effective action.

What Can You Do To Deal with Your Chaos?

Chaos Limited has been working with the implications and applications of complex adaptive systems since 1988. Our clients include:

3M
Allina Health System
Burlington Northern Railroad
General Council on Ministries of The United Methodist Church
Hennepin and Ramsey Counties
Honeywell
State of Minnesota
Ontario Worker's Compensation Institute
University of Minnesota and Hamline University

As a professional speaker, I have presented at professional conferences, including:

American Society for Training and Development
Association for Women in Computing, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Association for Computer Training and Support, Orlando, Florida
Chaos Network Conference, Santa Cruz, Chicago, and St. Paul, Minnesota
Chaos, Society, and Liberty Conference, Trois Rivieres, Canada
Human Factors Society, Atlanta, Georgia
Minnesota Joint Computer Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota Entrepreneur's Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota Quality Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Working With Display Units, Berlin, Germany
World Futures Society, Washington, D.C.
World Futurist Federation, Turku, Finland

We will be happy to work with you to:

Distinguish the chaotic paradigm from other paradigms that dominate current patterns of thought.
Describe the characteristics of chaotic systems in terms of physical and organizational phenomena.
Provide real-world examples of how the chaos paradigm can be used to discover new and powerful problem solving techniques.
Apply the principles of chaos to generate innovative strategies to address your most difficult problems.

We offer a variety of seminars and facilitated discussion sessions to help you and your team function more effectively in your chaotic environments. For a detailed proposal, contact Glenda Eoyang at Chaos Limited.