This document discusses the need for inclusive leadership in complex adaptive systems. It begins by outlining 4 types of systems and properties of complex systems, noting that in complex systems, emergence and solutions often come from the bottom, not the top. It then discusses how decision making is often based on patterns and assumptions rather than objective facts. The document advocates for more inclusive leadership that values diverse perspectives and engages all employees. It introduces the PRISM framework for understanding behavioral preferences and concludes by outlining behaviors of inclusive leaders, including encouraging input from all employees and authentic valuing of individuals.

1. Executive Leadership of Complex
Adaptive Systems: The Need for
Inclusiveness
Roger Lane and George Thomson

2. AIM
To enhance understanding of complex adaptive
systems and their implications for executive
decision-making.

3. 4 Types of Systems
• Simple - obvious
• Complicated
• Chaotic
• Complex

4. Properties
Diversity Connectivity Interdependence

5. Complex systems: emergence

6. Igor Nikolic TEDx Rotterdam
“Nobody knows everything that is going on.
Nobody can control everything.
Nobody can predict everything.”

7. Where do solutions come from?
Top
Middle
Bottom
< 10%
~ 30%
~ 60%
Source: Complex Adaptive Leadership, Obolensky, p37

8. Organisationally, we apply an oligarchical set of
assumptions to a polyarchical environment.
Source: Complex Adaptive Leadership, Obolensky, Ch 2.

9. Cynefin framework

10. Different strategies

11. Spectrum of practice

12. Human decision-making is pattern-
based
• Pareidolia.
• Correlation is not causation.
• Perceptual filters.
• First-fit pattern, not best-fit pattern.

13. 10000 Voices
• Share experience of health service.
• Influence commissioning and delivery.

14. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd.. All Rights Reserved. Protected in part by copyright, patent and trademark and other law
Patterns in emergency care patients
In the situation, what was important to me was…
Waitingtime &
efficiency
Right treatment &
care
Communication
bymedicalstaff
In the situation, I would have stayed home if…
AccesstoGP
Accessto
propermedication
Contactwith
specialist

15. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd.. All Rights Reserved. Protected in part by copyright, patent and trademark and other law
Landscape contrasts
Whatwasimportantwas…RightTreatment&Care
Would have stayed home if … Had contact with specialist Would have stayed home if … Had access to GP
No existing LTCNo existing LTCDiabetes Diabetes
Respiratory RespiratoryRenal Renal

16. Using “Purpose” for team alignment
Momentum Velocity Direction of travel

17. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd.. All Rights Reserved. Protected in part by copyright, patent and trademark and other law
Safe-to-fail experiments
Whatwasimportantwas…RightTreatment&Care
Would have stayed home if … Had contact with specialist Would have stayed home if … Had access to GP
NoneNoneDiabetes Diabetes
Respiratory RespiratoryRenal Renal

18. The need for inclusiveness
“We confront issues where facts are uncertain, values in
dispute, stakes high and decisions urgent…The style of
discourse can no longer be demonstration as from
empirical data to true conclusion. Rather, it must be
dialogue, recognising uncertainty, value-commitments, and
a plurality of legitimate perspectives.”
Source: Funtowicz and Ravetz: Uncertainty and Quality in Science for Policy.

19. LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT
engaging and energizing people, and inspiring them to give
their best, to stretch, to achieve, and to excel

20. THE POWER LEADER
• Transactional
• Authoritarian
• Disinterested in what others think
• Focused on themselves
At best, under such leadership people become stealth employees who spend
inordinate energy trying to fly under the radar until some other work option
materializes.

21. INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP IS
ENERGIZING AND MOTIVATING
• Each employee feels
• valued and respected
• is engaged in achieving a shared vision – ‘distributed leadership”.
• They enable their people to feel like owners of the system—like they have a
stake in its future—not renters.
• By acting as owners, people
• leverage their diverse perspectives (ways of thinking) and approaches
(ways of doing)
• enhance learning and growth
• drive success.

22. ‘INCLUSIVENESS THROUGH MAKING THE
MOST OF BEHAVIOURAL PREFERENCES’
Introducing PRISM

23. “We are not thinking
machines that feel;
rather we are feeling
machines that think.”
Antonio Damasio MD PhD
Professor of Neuroscience, University of Southern California
Director, The Brain and Creativity Institute

24. I’ll take the High Road
Do you really want to take the Low Road??

25. The frontal right hemisphere
adept at processing novel
information
The frontal left hemisphere
adept at processing routine,
familiar information
The posterior right hemisphere
hard-wired for empathy The posterior left hemisphere
hard-wired for systemizing

26. Patterns of behaviour and feelings based on emotions and experiences learned in
childhood
Parent
Nurturing
Helping and supportive behaviour
Critical
Criticism, control and punishment
Instructions & attitudes handed down by parents and significant authority figures
Transactional Analysis
Eric Berne

27. Adult
Operates logically and non emotionally, problem solving, using information to
make decisions.
Child
Adaptive child
Emerges as the result of demands of authority and is marked by passivity
Natural or Free Child
Impulsive, untrained, self loving, and pleasure seeking
The Child contributes joy, creativity, intuition, pleasure and enjoyment.
Transactional Analysis
Eric Berne

28. The frontal right cortex sees and
examines abstract patterns. It
uses its unique ability to generate
and manipulate internal images of
abstract or complex spatial,
patterned information to identify
trends and developing or evolving
needs.

29. The posterior right cortex takes in and
attends to harmonic information about
relationships between different tonal
qualities or pitches in someone’s voice,
and different body positions and
different facial expressions.

30. The posterior left cortex takes in
information about objects and masses.
It uses its unique ability to sequence
and control that information so that the
information can be retrieved and used
dependably.

31. The frontal left cortex sees and
examines structure and any breaks,
weaknesses or malfunctioning in that
structure. It is able to focus with
tremendous precision on all the relevant
details that might explain why the break
happened and how it might be repaired.
It uses its unique ability logically to
evaluate and solve problems.

32. I ANALYSE I EXPLORE
I PURSUE I PRESERVE
Visionary
Searcher
Creator
Organiser
Analyser
Detail Expert
Achiever
Challenger
Competitor
Believer
Supporter
Guardian
Precision thinking Lateral thinking
Results thinking Feelings thinking
I like to be right I like to be liked
I like to win I like to be accepted

33. Common NHS profile

34. RELATIONSHIP
ACHIEVEMENT
Inclusive leadership achieves high
results and relationships

35. TO BECOME AN INCLUSIVE LEADER:
ENGAGE IN TWO SETS OF
BEHAVIOURS
• 1. Actively create a high-engagement culture by encouraging the input and
initiative of all employees.
• 2. Authentically value and respect all individuals for their talents and
contributions.

36. MODIFYING LEADERSHIP STYLE
AUTHORITARIAN DEMOCRATIC
… to achieve the best level of motivation and most effective team performance
AUTOCRATIC AUTHORITARIAN DEMOCRATIC NON-COMMITAL
MOTIVATION
LOW HIGH LOW
WHAT
is right
not
WHO is rightDistributed leadership

37. Contact Details
• George Thomson- Medica Director, North Devon Healthcare Trust:
• Tel: PA Lucy Parr: 01271-314109. Email: george.thomson@nhs.net
• Roger Lane – Managing Director- Roger Lane Consulting Ltd:
• Mob: 0791 2055 035. Email: info@rogerlaneconsulting.com