A633.2.3.RB- Butterfly
Effect
Understanding complexity science and how complex systems
work can have a huge impact on strategy and leadership. Complexity science tells us that complex
systems, or complex organizations, are so complex that the can actually adapt,
evolve, and work as a network to solve problems themselves or, essentially,
become “simple.” Leaders must understand
that sometimes the best decision a leader can make is to loosen the reins on
their organization and allow the organization to work as a complex system to
create strategy and solutions. In
addition to complex systems needing to operate with less restrictions and
rules, another theory states that small changes or actions can have huge and
powerful results. This theory is known as “The Butterfly Effect.” Working in
the flying world, I have several examples where small changes have yielded
large results in my organization.
As pilots we constantly attend classes and training on
the importance of good crew resource management. During these classes we study airplane
crashes and learn from the investigations that take place after a crash. These investigations usually point out the
contributing factors of the accident, and many times the causal factor is some
small detail. A missed inspection or
overlooked checklist step can be the “butterfly flapping its wings” that causes
an airplane to crash and people to die.
The first example of how a small change resulted in a
large result was an airplane crash that resulted from a decision made two
decades before the actual accident. For
this specific airplane, the airplane engineers realized that there was a
structural problem with a component in the aircraft and, though not likely
anytime soon, someday down the road this component could break at a critical
time and cause trouble for the aircraft.
The engineers recommended that the organization pay for the component to
be replaced, which would cost the organization money. The decision-maker for the organization
decided not to replace the part because he did not think it was worth the money
for a problem that the engineers said “could happen years down the road.” Well, two decades later that aircraft fell
out of the sky bringing three people to their terrifying death. What was the cause of the crash? The cause of
the crash was determined to be the component that leadership in the
organization decided not to replace in order to save money.
On a more positive not of how small changes can yield large
results in my organization, I can talk about how little things can make a huge
impact on people while they are deployed.
Being away from home, away from your country, working every day, and
being in more dangerous situations wears on people. Deployments are sometimes so rough that the
smallest changes, for good or bad, can completely change the morale of the
base. While I was deployed, our
commander made the smallest change and allowed us to wear regular clothes while
we were in our living areas, instead of military uniforms. This tiny policy change caused the whole base
to celebrate and everybody to be much happier and more productive.
Understanding complex organizations and the huge results
that can result from the smallest changes is very important to leaders. It is important to understand that just
because a leader thinks a policy change is “no big deal,” the change can have
huge unintended consequences. In my
organization, I can use the second example I discussed to drive
improvements. As long as I remember that
even the smallest changes, good or bad, can greatly affect morale, I should be
able to more easily influence my subordinates and achieve better results.
References:
Obolensky, N. (2010).
Complex adaptive leadership. (1st edition.). London, UK: Gower/Ashgate
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