Complexity leadership Theory ATTD-6200 Leadership Development

By: John R. Turner

Complexity Leadership Theory IntroducCon Complexity Theory (CT) Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT) CLT CharacterisCcs

CorrelaCon AggregaCon AutocatalyCc Mechanism Nonlinear Emergence

Advantages & Disadvantages Conclusion

IntroducCon

In an IBM research of more than 1,500 CEOs Howard Tollit idenCed as on of the signicant ndings:

Complexity has overtaken change as the main challenge facing CEOs across the globe and more than half of UK & Irish CEOs doubt their ability to manage it (the porporCons even higher worldwide) (management today, 2010).

IntroducCon

Manville and Ober (2003) idenCed that Were in a knowledge economy, but our managerial and governance systems are stuck in the Industrial Era. Its Cme for a whole new model (as cited in Uhl-Bien, Marion, & McKelvy, 2007, p. 298).

Complexity Theory

CLT is derived from CT CT concerns the descripCon and predicCon of systems that exhibit complex changing behavior at the macroscopic level, emerging from the collecCve acCons of many interacCng components (Mitchell, 2009, p. 15). The Brain; interacCng neurons The WWW; Network of individual players

Complexity Theory

Complexity theorists are interested in understanding how the interacCons of people in organizaCons lead to the creaCon of paberns of behavior, which in turn shape organizaConal strategies, power structures, and networks of relaConships (Ardichvili & Manderscheid, 2008, p. 624).

Complexity Leadership Theory

CLT funcCons to create condiCons that enable the interacCons through which the behaviors and direcCon of organizaConal systems emerge. Leaders provide control by inuencing organizaConal behavior through managing networks and interacCons (Marion & Uhl-Bien, 2001, p. 406).

CharacterisCcs of CLT

CorrelaCon AggregaCon AutocatalyCc InteracCon Nonlinear Emergence

CorrelaCon

Shared interest among agents (people) Common beliefs Similar world-views Type of bonding process between agents Fosters integraCon among agents Forms aggregates (networks)

AggregaCon

Changes among agents Changes are ogen caused by interacCons and correlaCon between agents and networks of agents

CT sees small changes, at the micro-level, leading to large changes, at the macro-level

Self-organizing

AutocatalyCc InteracCon

The state where dierent units (agents or departments) interact

InteracCon cannot be predetermined by leadership

InteracCon must be enabled by leaders Has a moderaCng eect Self-generaCng system

Nonlinear Emergence

Nonlinear (inter- & intra-department, internal and external of organizaCon)

Sudden and unpredictable change InnovaCon New technologies Break into new markets

Structures evolve and reorganize Similar to a network system

Bobom-up directed

Advantages / Disadvantages

Advantages Self-organizing less managerial funcCons

Disadvantages OrganizaConal Culture Change leaders have to release control follower have more responsibiliCes

HR Challenge PotenCal for Chaos

Conclusion

Through Complex Leadership Theory Leaders Should: Create condiCons for innovaCon as opposed to creaCng the innovaCon

Drop seeds of innovaCon rather than mandaCng innovaCon plans

Create opportuniCes to interact rather than creaCng isolated and controlled work cubicles

Tend to networks Catalyze more than they control (Marion & Uhl-Bien, 2001).

References Ardichvili, A. & Manderscheid (2008). Emerging pracCces in leadership

development: An introducCon. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 10(5), 619-631.

Management Today (2010, June 07). MT leadership visions: Capitalising on complexity. Retrieved from hbp://www.managemenboday.co.UK/news/1008266/mt-leadership-visions-capitalising-complexity/

Marion, R. & Uhl-Bien, M. (2001). Leadership in complex organizaCons. The Leadership Quarterly, 12, 389-418. Retrieved from hbp://www.elsevier.com/wps/nd/journaldescripCon.cws_home/620221/descripCon#descripCon

Mitchell, M. (2009). Complexity: A guided tour. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Uhl-Biewn, M., Marion, R., & McKelvey, B. (2007). Complexity leadership theory: Shiging leadership from the industrial age to the knowledge era. The Leadership Quarterly, 18, 298-318. doi: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2007.04.002