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Team Collaboration Competencies for Complex Social Challenges
The document discusses the need for new types of collaboration to address complex social challenges such as healthcare, climate change, and food security, highlighting the role of diverse perspectives and systemic interactions. It introduces key theories on complexity and outlines a proposed framework for 'cognitive resilience enablers' and 'complexity-oriented teams' to enhance collaboration effectiveness. A case study on Syrian migrants illustrates practical applications for leveraging diversity and fostering adaptive impacts.
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Team Collaboration Competencies for Complex Social Challenges
- 1. Team Collaboration Competencies forComplex Social Challenges Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD9) | OCT 2020 Master’s Research Project, OCAD University Strategic Foresight and Innovation (SFI) Goran Matic | goran.matic@gmail.com
- 2. Why do weneed a new type of collaboration for complexity?
- 3. Recursive Phenomena: Indefinite Boundaries& Systemic Enclosedness
- 4. Organizational strategy Innovation Culture /Governance Healthcare policy Food security Equitable wealth creation Changing nature of work Sustainable economies Long-term disaster recovery Natural resource management Climate change …where, ever expanding impacts necessitate to decide the ‘limits of analysis’ Mapping systemic interactions often reveals a number of enclosing layers…
- 5. Organizational strategy Innovation Culture /Governance Healthcare policy Food security Equitable wealth creation Changing nature of work Sustainable economies Long-term disaster recovery Natural resource management Climate change …which makes it difficult to select a ‘definitive’ boundary of analysis ‘Effects’ are grounded in dynamic, mutual & self-referential interactions –
- 6. Diverse perspectives needed to ‘frame’the situation – Which requires collaboration. * Relates to the concept of ‘Requisite Variety’ (Ashby, 1956)
- 7. No definitive heuristicexists to negotiate the ‘correct’ boundary of understanding – Which leads to conflict over necessary perspectives.
- 8. How might webetter understand ‘complexity’ – To help enable collaboration?
- 9. Key Theories inUnderstanding Complexity ‘super- wicked problems’ (Levin et al., 2012) ‘problematiques’ (Ozbekhan, Christakis & Peccei, 1970) ‘wicked problems’ (Rittel & Webber, 1973) ‘social messes’ (Ackoff, 1974) ‘post- modern complexity’ (Cilliers, 1998)
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- 11. Interrelatedness Indivisibility Messy Management ✓ 'Messes' consistof many components that are intrinsically interrelated, combining into a larger whole – where both parts and relationships are critical ✓ 'Messes' may not be divided into sub-components – sub-segmentations don’t behave the same way as the larger 'problem mess' whole ✓ Shift from 'clear resolutions' to 'mess management' strategies – each potential approach yields a different type of an outcome Multi-Intervention Points ✓ Shift from a single 'problem to be solved' to addressing many intervention points – in order to engage multiple possible states of the system Multi Cognitive ✓ Shift from problem-solving approaches to multi-modal cognition – required to understand and potentially successfully engage 'social messes'. Key Characteristics of ‘Social Messes’
- 12. ‘Problematiques’ & The Clubof Rome (Ozbekhan, Christakis & Peccei, 1970) * Outlined as 49 ‘continuously interacting’ challenges
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- 14. Aggregative and Systemic Complex andNon- Linear Dynamical and Emergent ✓ ‘Problem’ as Reflection of System-State • Events as Components • Aggregative Systems • Meta-system of Problems ✓ Interconnected, transcending boundaries • Complex Interconnections • Non-Linear Relationships • Transcending Boundaries ✓ 'Acausal' Systemic Resonances • Dynamical Situations • Short Time-Scales • Emergent Impacts ‘Problematiques’ Structural Characteristics (1 / 2)
- 15. Problem-Solution Perceptual Fragmentation Unaligned Understanding & Value-systems ✓ PerceptiveFragmentation • Problem-Solution Mindset • Orthodox Solutions Orientation ✓ Lack of Values-based Alignment • Unclear Understanding • Multiple Interpretations ‘Problematiques’ Structural Characteristics (2 / 2) Multi- Dimensionality of Ecosystem Balance Limitations of Ecological Analysis ✓ Ecosystem Imbalance as Pathology • Complex Networked Ecologies • Ecosystemic Balance as Value-Base ✓ Challenges of Ecological Modelling • Methodological approximations
- 16. Conceptual Synthesis: towards the “Affordances”of Complexity
- 17. Opportunity for Methodological Synthesis Future Value-Base Orientation Dynamic Engagementswith Feedback Loops Uncovering Meaning with Cognitive Synthesis ✓ Insufficiencies of Determinism • Need for Deeper Understanding • Need for Comprehensive Analysis • Methodological Challenges ✓ Futurity Differentials • Clarify Systemic Characteristics • Future Value-Base Orientation ✓ Dynamic Circularities • Shared Value-Base • Feedback-Based Goals, Means & Objectives Refactoring ✓ Distributed Meaning • Descriptive Conceptual Model • Levels of Cognition Complexity Challenges & Opportunities | Towards a Theoretical Synthesis
- 18. ✓ Complexity impactsindividual at an affective level in a variety of ways ✓ Individual impacts extend to social activity experienced at a variety of scales – team, group, organization & community Individual affect Social affect Complexity as Impacting Pre-Cognitive, Affective Experiences | Towards a
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- 20. How might we thinkabout it? How might we effectively cooperate? Cooperative Ambiguity Contextual Ambiguity Cognitive Ambiguity What models can describe the environment? Complex Social Challenges Complexity as Interacting Ambiguities | Towards a
- 21. How might wethink about it? What modes of cognition might be most appropriate? How might we effectively cooperate? What approaches might be most appropriate? Complex Social Challenges Complexity as Interacting Ambiguities | Towards a Cooperative Ambiguity Contextual Ambiguity Cognitive Ambiguity What models can describe the environment? What might be most fitting? R R Ambiguities interact & complexify collaboration
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- 23. Create Shared Meaning Leverage Diversity Generate a NewSense of Possibility Re-Imagine Engage Inflect • Shift expectations • Create new options • imagine shared futures • Create new social being • Leverage new vision • Engage group genious • Emerge key competencies • Shift coordination approaches • Engage plurality of perspectives • Create ‘directional narratives’ • Mobilize diverse stakeholders • Create adaptive impacts
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- 25. Lowest Cognitive Resilience Enablers Lower Highest Levelof Ambiguity dialectic thinking dialectic engagement framing dilemmas iterative learning iterate success Team Skills Systemic Enablers Core Abilities
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- 27. Re-Factor Meaning Iterate Success Build Trust Re-align Approaches Re-frame Purpose USEAS INPUT TO Complex Challenge Ecosystem Complex Ecosystem Stakeholders EVENTS “What might this purpose mean, in the context of key stakeholders?“ “How might we translate the emergent meaning into relevant actions?“ “How might we work together to deliver successful outcomes?“ “How might we continually re-align to the changing circumstances?“ “How might we adapt and extend our purpose amidst change?“
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- 29. Dialectic Thinking Framing Dilemmas Dialectic Engagement PROVIDES INPUT TO Complexity Oriented Teams(COTs) Complex Ecosystem Stakeholders SIGNALS / EVENTS INTEREPRETATIONS
- 30. Adaptive Delivery Value Pivoting Iterative Learning PROVIDES INPUTTO Complexity Oriented Teams (COTs) Complex Ecosystem Stakeholders SIGNAL / EVENT INTEREPRETATIONS
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- 32. Create Shared Meaning Leverage Diversity Generate a NewSense of Possibility Re-Imagine Engage Inflect • Shift expectations to create new options for all key stakeholders • Imagine possible new roles for migrants in the society • Imagine a preferred shared future for migrants • Shift orientation towards migrants, create new perception of social being for collaboration • Leverage new vision to engage the underutilized ‘group genious’ and emerge key competencies • Shift coordination approaches to leverage engaged plurality of perspectives around migration • Create ‘directional narratives’ to mobilize migrant stakeholders • Leverage diversity to create adaptive impacts – that are both localized and systemic in nature
- 33. Re-Imagine Generate a New Senseof Possibility Engage Inflect • Identify key issues of doubt, lack of trust and fear in both migrants + other ecosystemic stakeholders • Identify contending opinions and established views on immigrants, and the process of immigration • Identify deterrents to re-imagine current issues → opportunities • Shift expectations to create new options to inform possible new roles for migrants in the society • Use foresight to imagine a preferred shared future Create Shared Meaning for Competence Leverage Diversity for Capability • Identify localized goals, key tensions, narrow identities and competing narratives – possibly based on old success patterns • Classify tensions into ‘dialectics’ or ‘polarities’ – to possibly synthesize or actively manage • Identify deterrents to individual and social coherence / resilience • Identify narratives that might hinder the inflection strategies and possibly decrease the sense of coherence / resilience of the ecosystemic stakeholders • Identify key coordination, cooperation and collaboration challenges • Identify deterrents in engaging diversity • Shift orientation towards migrants, create new perception of social being for collaboration • Leverage new vision to engage the underutilized ‘group genious’ and emerge key competencies • Shift coordination approaches to leverage engaged plurality of perspectives • Create ‘directional narratives’ to mobilize diverse stakeholders • Leverage diversity to create adaptive impacts – that are both localized and systemic in nature
- 34. Re-Factor Meaning Iterate Success Build Trust Re-align Approaches Re-frame Purpose USEAS INPUT TO Syrian migrants Complex Ecosystem Stakeholders EVENTS “What might this purpose mean, in the context of key stakeholders?“ “How might we translate the emergent meaning into relevant actions?“ “How might we work together to deliver successful outcomes?“ “How might we continually re-align to the changing circumstances?“ “How might we adapt and extend our purpose in the midst of change?“
- 35. Re-Factor Meaning Iterate Success Build Trust Re-align Approaches Re-frame Purpose USEAS INPUT TO Syrian migrants Complex Ecosystem Stakeholders EVENTS “What might this purpose mean, in the context of key stakeholders?“ “How might we translate the emergent meaning into relevant actions?“ “How might we work together to deliver successful outcomes?“ “How might we continually re-align to the changing circumstances?“ “How might we adapt and extend our purpose in the midst of change?“
- 36. Micro Scale Meso Scale MacroScale • Examine the effects of policy instruments and broader frameworks (such as trade relations, legal and legislative) in terms of their impacts on the developing migrant crisis. • Understand the sustainability of the overall ecosystem from the ‘macro’ perspective. • Understand the stakeholder reliance on the ‘in-between’ supportive socio-economic systems – including immigration, housing, banking, healthcare, law enforcement, language training and work placement. • Understand the stakeholder needs and explore the impacts of possible inflection points at the individual and family levels – through the lens of supporting Sense of Coherence (SOC) and the overall resilience. • Leverage frameworks such as DIKW to make sense of additional dynamically evolving situational elements.
- 37. Thank you! Relating SystemsThinking and Design (RSD9) | OCT 2020 Master’s Research Project, OCAD University Strategic Foresight and Innovation (SFI) Goran Matic | goran.matic@gmail.com Team Collaboration Competencies for Complex Social Challenges (Matic, 2017) http://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/1990/