125 Unleash Your Complexity Genius: Interview with Carolyn Coughlin
Dec 16, 2022
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Unleash your complexity genius with Carolyn Coughlin as she discusses managing complex situations effectively, tapping into love and connection for stress relief, and recognizing bodily cues for creativity and connection. Explore the power of complexity genius and making small moves towards positive outcomes.
Unleash your complexity genius by embracing unpredictability and refraining from controlling everything in complex situations.
Develop the 'genius of noticing' to increase awareness of internal reactions, external events, and patterns, enabling conscious decision-making in complexity.
Deep dives
Understanding Complexity and Human Systems
Complexity refers to situations that are unpredictable and uncontrollable, common in human systems. Human systems, with their intricate connections and unpredictability, require a different approach compared to simple or complicated systems. In complexity, attempting to control everything is counterproductive. Leaders and coaches need to tap into their innate ability to navigate complexity for effectiveness and wellbeing.
Practicing the Genius of Noticing
The first step in managing complexity is developing the 'genius of noticing.' This entails being aware of both internal reactions and external happenings. By stopping to observe and identify what is occurring in the present moment, individuals can break free from autopilot responses and open up to new possibilities. Learning to notice patterns and triggers helps in cultivating awareness and making conscious choices.
Distinguishing Complexity from Complicated Systems
In complexity, systems comprise numerous interconnected parts that influence each other, creating unpredictable outcomes. Human systems are complex due to the interactions between individuals and groups. By contrast, complicated systems, like a car engine, involve multiple parts working predictably together. Acknowledging the difference helps in adapting strategies for managing complex situations effectively.
Tapping into the Genius of Love in Complexity
Embracing the 'genius of love' in complexity emphasizes the importance of deep connections and understanding in human systems. Building trust-based relationships and fostering positive interactions can lead to generative outcomes. Rather than seeking agreement, the focus is on cultivating respectful connections, even in times of disagreement. Activating compassion and empathy towards others promotes growth and resilience in complex environments.
As human beings, we have an innate ability to manage complex situations, or those that we cannot control or predict due to many interrelated parts that affect one other. In practice, however, many of us become overwhelmed when faced with complexity and start trying to control things that are not actually controllable.
According to Carolyn Coughlin, our guest in Episode 125 of The MINDSet Game® podcast, the key to navigating these situations even more effectively is to unleash your complexity genius. As the co-founder, director, and board co-chair of Cultivating Leadership, a leadership consultancy with a mission to help leaders and organizations thrive in complexity, Carolyn develops programs to coach teams and individuals in growing their inner capacity to lead in a complex world. In this week’s episode, Carolyn discusses the following:
The definition of “complexity,” and how complex situations differ from ones that are merely complicated
Steps to take when faced with the stress that complexity can present – or how to tap into your own complexity geniuses
The power of reaching outward through love and connection with others, and how to activate that love even for someone who may be triggering feelings of distress and complexity
Carolyn then guides us through a step-by-step exercise that implements the techniques she has shared.
To learn more, visit Carolyn’s website at https://www.cultivatingleadership.com or check out her book, Unleash Your Complexity Genius: Growing Your Inner Capacity to Lead.