Fractals and Leadership during times of
Rapid Change.
by Carl Brown, Emory
University
The concept of fractals is a simple, intuitive, and empowering idea for handling personal & organizational issues with greater confidence, ease, and effectiveness. The word means simply that any little piece of a pattern in nature resembles the entire pattern.
This is the geometry of the natural world, the way that complex and very surprising patterns arise very simply by repeating patterns over and over again. The examples are as endless and rich as nature itself. Classic examples include the patterns of clouds, shorelines, a head of cauliflower, the branching of rivers and trees and human lungs. Rapid and surprising changes include such things as melting of ice and waterfalls.
Although based upon a rigorous mathematics that has emerged from disciplines as diverse as computer imaging and weather forecasting, the general principles are very intuitive and provide a powerful perspective for leadership during times of rapid change. The great value of fractals is that it allows leaders to see patterns that were formerly hidden or appeared totally chaotic. It has been said that the role of the next generation of leaders is to bring this powerful concept down from the head and into the heart of our everyday, instinctual, responses to managing rapid changes.
CNL programs encourage leaders to add this fractal perspective to their toolbox of skills. This is accomplished primarily by spending time in nature becoming more aware of fractal geometrical patterns - a refreshing and fun process. Participants are then encouraged to contemplate and discuss how organizational, relational, and emotional problems (and solutions) mirror these "cascading" patterns.
As in all mastery, there is both a science and an art to this approach. As skill develops, participants gain ever greater insight of when to apply looser or tighter management styles to their professional and personal lives and relationships.
With a basic understanding of fractals patterns within dynamic, living systems, participants are also introduced to time-tested methods for gaining further insight to managing and leading with this style.
The primary methodologies explored include the I Ching (Book of Changes) and Sun Tzu's Book of War; these are Chinese classics that have honed this leadership style for over 2,000 years. With this well grounded background, participants are encouraged to explore more recent styles such as Adaptive Management, and to have fun exploring fractal patterns in nature on their own.
Recommended resources:
1. Nature's Chaos. Gleick & Porter. Viking. 1990.
2. Turbulent Mirror: An Illustrated Guide to Chaos Theory & The Science
3. The Illustrated I Ching. Wing. Doubleday. 1982.
4. The Art of Strategy. Wing. Doubleday. 1988.
5. Leadership & the New Science: Learning About Organization from an Orderly Universe. Wheatley. Berrett-Koehler. 1992.
6. Uncertainty, Resource Exploitation, and Conservation: Lessons from History. Ludwig et al. Science. Vol. 270. p.17. 1993. (an intro to adaptive management). Gunderson et al. Columbia. 1995.
8. The Light Within: Healing Music from around the World (a CD built upon fractals). Center for Nursing Leadership and Steve Hulse Music. 1999.