The Jim Rutt Show
EP 184 Dave Snowden on Managing Complexity in Times of Crisis
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- In times of crisis, creating specialized crews with specific focuses helps in efficient decision-making and problem-solving.
- Comprehensive journaling during a crisis enables better decision-making, resilience building, and a reliable source of information for future reference.
- Aparetic moments, where traditional approaches no longer work, are opportunities for fresh perspectives and innovative solutions in the face of a crisis.
Deep dives
Specialized crews in a crisis
In the face of a crisis, it is important to create specialized crews with specific focuses. These crews can include a continuity crew that handles business as usual while the crisis is addressed, a journaling crew that keeps track of important information and events, a devil's advocate crew that challenges assumptions and provides alternative perspectives, and other specialized crews that are relevant to the specific crisis at hand. By having these specialized crews, decision-making can be more focused and efficient, allowing for better problem-solving in the midst of a crisis.
Importance of journaling in a crisis
Comprehensive journaling is a crucial practice during a crisis. It allows individuals and teams to document important information, insights, and lessons learned in real time. Journaling provides a way to capture and preserve critical knowledge, enable better decision-making, and aid in the identification of patterns and trends. By encouraging journaling as a regular practice, organizations can improve their resilience, foster learning, and have a reliable source of information for future reference.
The concept of aparetic moments
Aparetic moments are crucial in a crisis. They represent a state of being where what used to work no longer applies, and new ways of thinking and approaching problems are needed. In these aparetic moments, individuals and teams must acknowledge that business as usual is insufficient and embrace the need for innovative and outside-the-box solutions. Aparetic moments enable fresh perspectives, breakthroughs, and the ability to adapt effectively to the changing circumstances of a crisis.
Creating specialized crews in the face of a crisis
During a crisis, it is essential to establish specialized crews focused on specific tasks and roles. These crews can include continuity crews responsible for maintaining business continuity, journaling crews to document important information and insights, devil's advocate crews to challenge assumptions and explore alternative perspectives, and other specialized crews relevant to the crisis at hand. By forming specialized crews, organizations can ensure that crucial tasks are carried out effectively and efficiently, allowing for better problem-solving and decision-making in high-pressure situations.
Using language to challenge assumptions and promote new thinking
The podcast discusses the importance of using unfamiliar language to disrupt habitual thinking. The speaker shares an example from their own experience, where they had to fight for the use of a specific term in an article. By using unique language, such as in the case of the word 'Canavan', the speaker emphasizes the ability to tell the true story behind a concept rather than relying on assumptions. This approach, referred to as aparetic, encourages individuals to think differently and avoid default modes of thinking.
Applying acceptation and abstraction to drive change
The podcast explores the concept of acceptation as a key capability in driving change. The speaker shares an example of working with a lighting company to change the market perception of lights as garden features rather than just functional objects. By gathering narratives, interpreting them at a high level of abstraction, and matching them with relevant technologies, the company was able to create new associations and introduce innovative uses of their products. This approach of forced acceptation encourages making abstract connections and looking beyond traditional assumptions to inspire change.
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