Tales Of Complexity


		Tales of Complexity
Principles Complexity Lens		As part of our on-going learning about the dynamics of complex adaptive systems (CAS), we must make a conscious efforts to see the world and our work within it through a different lens. Reflection, journaling, and story-telling are integral to using this complexity lens effectively.
Diffusion Complexity journal		Story telling is verbal or written communication that describes a context and the observable events within that context. The storyteller might also choose to add interpretations of the events through an explicitly identified lens, the thinking process of the storyteller, and the lessons learned from the story.
Aides Reflection		Good story telling is a two-way process. Stories have value for both the teller and the receiver. Telling a story helps clarify one's thinking. The act of recounting a story often helps the storyteller see patterns and connections more holistically. Receivers benefit both from the shared learnings and from the opportunity to offer their own reflections. There are always multiple points of view, multiple lenses, multiple mental models that can be applied to a collection of events. Good story tellers are, therefore, never defensive about their stories and their interpretations; rather, they encourage dialogue and welcome the reflections of others.
		The stories in this section were compiled by a variety of people based on their own reflections through the complexity lens. They have graciously agreed to share their learnings with others. The tales are listed and cross-referenced on the following pages. Dates in parentheses are the time frames in which the tales occurred.
		Minimum Specs for the Tales
Principles Good enough vision Aides Min specs		We saw no need to impose a common format on the Tales in this section of the Resource Kit. Consistent with the complexity approach, our "minimum specs" for the stories were only that: they provide an early hook to the reader in the form of a provocative title or first sentence. healthcare-based readers should be able to identify in some way with the people or issue in the story. the story should clearly indicate a complexity principle or aide (the tie-in can be in either a positive or negative sense). the story should contain explicit, honest reflection (multiple lens and reflectors welcomed; stories where the story teller is all-wise and everyone else is stupid are not welcomed). the people in the story are comfortable having the story told, and the story-teller was comfortable sharing the reflections. Other than these few specs, we have encouraged story-tellers to be as diverse as they wish in telling there stories and sharing reflections.
Diffusion Complexity journal		The Tales are in no particular order. You can read them in any order you wish. Recognizing the diversity of learning styles that people bring to a topic like complexity, we will not be surprised to hear that some people consider the Tales a stand-alone, centerpiece of this resource kit; while others find them helpful only because they illustrate the principles and aides in the other sections of the kit. Use them in whatever ways are helpful to you and the people around you.
Aides Min specs		Each Tale is told primarily through a complexity lens, with references to other lenses as appropriate. The tales are primarily examples of hindsight reflection, as defined in the Aides: Reflection section; although there are some aspects of in-sight reflection in Tales that report on works in progress, and some aspects of foresight reflection in some comments about what the story-teller might do in the future.
		You might not agree with the reflections offered, or you may see additional things. That is the beauty of stories. They are filled with meaning. The lens and mental models we bring to a story determine what we see in it. The reflections offered here are just one way of seeing things.
		Next \| Previous \| Return to Contents List All Components of Edgeware Tales (except where otherwise indicated) Copyright © 2001, Plexus Institute Permission to copy for educational purposes only. All other rights reserved.