Lessons from nature

I can hear the pitter patter of water slowly draining from my roof making its way through the gutters and into the cold earth. The shifting of the tundra in front of my house is cracking and re-plenishing the soil with nutrient rich hydration.

Nature’s system of repair after a major snowstorm seems to be working on autopilot. Each function sets into place as the sun emerges from the cloudy sky and the heat elevates in the atmosphere. Another example of nature’s cycles that don’t require human intervention.

What inspiration can we glean from nature’s change cycle?

And how can we leverage this learning to support our organizations in better change management efforts?

Tip 1: Know your purpose and allow for self-organization

In nature, everything has a purpose, everyone knows their job (Intelligent Change, ND). The sun rises and sets each day on a natural rhythm whether the clouds allow its light to shine or not. The moon circles the earth, influencing the ocean tides and keeping our climate stable.

When every part of a system knows their role and function and is given the autonomy and freedom to succeed, additional intervention is not needed to operate. Self-organization occurs naturally.

One of the tenants of complexity theory is that self-organization will occur not only in nature but within our organizations if we allow the system to have the autonomy to act when they see that change is needed (Systems Innovation 2017).

When systems are working, we don’t need to step in and fix them. Trying to help the snow melt faster by bringing my blow dryer out to my roof could have unintended consequences (like setting my home on fire).

Leaders who allow complex systems to self-organize and leave no trace in their leadership efforts I believe help empower all individuals in the organization to be pro-active in acting and looking for solutions. What would it look like if we allowed our organizational systems to follow a similar approach?

I would suggest that more action may be tolerated since individuals at all levels and functions within the organization would have the power to make changes as they see them and would feel more control in supporting change efforts.

Tip 2: Don’t overload the system

There were parts of Colorado this week that got several feet of snow. And for some locations this was simply too much at once. Some ski resorts closed for the first time in twenty years from too much snow.

Waiting for the sun and heat to naturally do their job would take too long and human intervention became necessary to clear the roads, unbury resorts and get the natural cycle to become unstuck. Doing too much at once can block the system.

Many organizations take on too much at once and their professionals and complex systems simply can’t process the change. It becomes paralyzing.

Organizations succeed when leaders recognize there is a need for change, and they can effectively implement the change which requires strategic focus and prioritization (Leading Effectively Staff 2020). Simply adding more snow to the mix or another change effort isn’t going to automatically solve the issue. ??????????

Tip 3: Seek clarity and stay curious

The sun continues to shine, and the moon and stars are in the sky, regardless of whether we can see them. On a clear night or clear day, their magic becomes visible, reminding us of the power of their natural rhythm and role.

Just because we can’t see the sun or moon amidst the clouds doesn’t mean the system isn’t working. Same for our organizations. Just because we can’t see the work of everyone doesn’t mean the system isn’t working.

Before embarking on change efforts, seek clarity to understand what is behind the clouds before interrupting the system.

• Seek clarity in the objectives for the change effort.
• Seek clarity from the people involved.
• Seek clarify about the potential ramifications.
• Seek clarity on the desired outcomes.
• Seek clarity on what feedback loop will be used to assess the effectiveness of change effort.

Stay curious and be willing to seek inspiration in unconventional places. A simple interview with nature can offer tremendous insights that can be applied in the work context. The interconnectedness of systems is what complexity theory offers in supporting organizational development efforts (Systems Innovation 2017).

What lessons would you add from your own experience with change and how can the lessons of nature inform your perspective?

#positive #organizationaldevelopment #lessonsfromnature #inspirationiseverywhere

References:

Leading Effectively Staff. 2020.?How to Succeed at Complex, Continuous Change.?Center for Creative Leadership.

Systems Innovation. 2017. Complexity Theory Overview. YouTube.

Intelligent Change. ND. 8 Lessons to Learn From Nature.