Complex Messes are challenges (individual, organisational and societal) that arise due to the fact that the world is changing rapidly and becoming increasingly complex. These challenges don’t seem to respond to traditional ways of thinking and doing things. These are situations where we really don’t know what is going on.
The cause of these problems is usually not obvious, and outcomes are hard to predict. These problems don’t have a technical solution, and there is probably little agreement about the best way to respond to them. They have probably refused to go away over time and can escalate quickly. They usually involve some kind of tension that pulls us in different directions, a dilemma, a choice between equally good (or bad) alternatives. They tend to take up large amounts of both our mental and emotional energy, and can cause conflict between different groups. We need new ways of engaging with Complex Messes that acknowledge and appreciate their complexity rather than oversimplifying them through rules, technical prescriptions, and objective logic.
These problems emerge because it is hard to understand and make sense of what is going on. Information is scarce or confusing, and the chance of misreading or misinterpreting the situation is high. Multiple issues and factors exist that are interdependent and that interact in ways that are unpredictable. We need new ways of understanding and making sense of Complex Messes.
These are problems of planning that arise when we realise that we can’t predict or control the future. We might find that we need to make decisions and take action when we don’t know what will happen next. We need new ways of thinking about and acting on the Complex Mess of provisional possible futures.
These problems emerge as a result of the complexity of human behaviour. They are related to attempts to influence people who are doing complex work. We might find that the people we are leading are lacking in energy, commitment or motivation, or their effort may be being wasted. Or they might stubbornly (or passively) be resisting change. They might not be physically present, or working in different time zones. We need new ways of understanding the Complex Mess of the work of leadership as influencing human energies (physical, emotional, intellectual, intuitive and spiritual), our own and those of others.
These are problems related to complex group dynamics. We may be working with a range of people who have different agendas, expertise, values, beliefs, and perceptions. Perhaps ingroups and outgroups have formed, or there are personality clashes. People may not be taking appropriate responsibility for themselves. The chance of conflict is high and might threaten the work. We need to develop the ability to, in real time, understand, engage with, and influence the Complex Mess of interpersonal dynamics that are often outside our direct awareness.
These are problems of our inner world – complexity makes many of us uncomfortable, anxious, overwhelmed, and afraid. We might find ourselves automatically defaulting to patterns of habitual behaviour that can prevent us from engaging constructively with complex challenges and interpersonal dynamics. We need to learn how to recognise these tricky feelings as they arise and create a pause that allows us to choose a helpful response.
Complex Mess
We acknowledge all Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia, where we work and live that is the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and we recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been managing Complex Messes in this place for thousands of years. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present.
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