Something New is Brewing

Cynefin Centre for Organisational Complexity - Here's a new IBM sponsored project that could have interesting results for managing, operating and leading organizations.

The Cynefin Centre for Organisational Complexity is a global network of members and partners applying complexity theory to organisations by developing a diverse portfolio of pragmatic sensemaking methods and models that can help solve problems for which structured approaches have failed.

There are elements of Strategic Navigation that NELA espouses. The project is moving toward "pragmatic sense-making methods and models" which is encouraging. It will have much to do with knowledge management and leadership. The approach they are taking based on networks and complexity is of interest to us as well.

How about you? Any counters, challenges or comments for the water cooler?

"I find it extremely intriguing. And I can see it will have value. The Cynefin Centre is just the right medicine for what is plaguing corporations today and it has the potential to have a revolutionary impact on management and management practice. Initiatives like this are often not given their just due in the world of bottom line profit management - this is not just another fad of the moment, but a return to core values." --- Sam Albert, an independent management consultant and highly respected IT industry analyst at Sam Albert Associates, commenting on the May 15, 2002, IBM announcement of The Cynefin Centre for Organizational Complexity.

The Cynefin Centre is creating a powerful networked intelligence by building an extensive member and partner network of hundreds of leading edge thinkers and practitioners who will collectively tackle the most the most difficult organisational challenges with breakthrough complexity based techniques .

Dave Snowden is founder and Executive Director of the Centre. Dave is a well-known thought leader in narrative and a pioneer in the application of complexity concepts to organisations. He was previously European Director of The IBM Institute for Knowledge Management (IKM) where he conducted research in the areas of complexity and narrative.

You can also visit the website at: http://www.ibm.com/services/cynefin