Organisations & Complexity #1: It's the People, Stupid

The following is the first in a series of articles inspired by Samir Rihani's book 'Complex Systems Theory and Development Practice: Understanding Non-linear Realities' (2002). I was lucky to study under Sami at The University of Liverpool from 2003-05, and he was, by far, the best educator I have ever encountered.

I remember chatting with Sami in the corridors after class—he always made time for his students—and he told me that "complexity" would become a social metaphor. He was certainly right. It's borderline buzzword at the time of writing, but sadly, this airtime is not accompanied by a widespread understanding of complexity theory.

When Sami published his book, he was in the twilight of his career. TED Talks, podcasts, and YouTube hadn’t yet emerged. If they had, I have a hunch that many more of us would have heard of Sami. He had a remarkable ability to make complexity accessible, much like Professor Brian Cox does with physics and the universe.

Perhaps the world wasn't ready for Sami. I fondly remember his humorous tales of being booed off stage by the World Bank for breaking the news that economics is not a science.

This project aims to take the wisdom from his book, which focused on international development, and apply it to organisational development. I hope I do it justice. All credit goes to the wonderful Samir Rihani for everything you are about to read.

At the heart of organisational development lies a simple truth: sustainable progress is only possible when we focus on the people within the organisation. People development and healthy human interactions are the foundation upon which all other growth depends. When individuals are shackled by a bureaucratic straitjacket—bound by endless rules and regulations—they are in no position to drive economic progress or enjoy their jobs. Organisations must prioritise creating an environment where employees are free to innovate, collaborate, and grow. Without this focus, any attempts at organisational development will likely be hollow and unsustainable.

Why is this? Well, contrary to our top-down tendencies, real change often happens at the local level, where it matters most. It takes shape between ordinary people striving to improve their circumstances in ways that work for them. This is where effective action unfolds, as opposed to a sweeping “transformation” (a little-known synonym of bullshit) conjured by top brass. Progress comes from enabling individuals to make meaningful changes for themselves, and not from controlling them with force.

Why Traditional Management Thinking Fails

Many organisational development and change programmes fail because they mistakenly assume the process is linear, meaning something entirely predictable that can be controlled with precision, like a SpaceX rocket. These programmes treat organisations like machines, following fixed rules that supposedly lead to guaranteed outcomes. If only eh. In reality, organisations are complex adaptive systems, meaning they are unpredictable, and shaped by countless interactions and variables that cannot be controlled top-down fashion. Newtonian linear thinking simply does not apply to these systems, and forcing organisations into that mould has often led to disaster (or at the very least disengagement).

What we need is a way to objectively assess the ways of working that are likely to succeed in each specific context. Spoiler: one-size-fits-all solutions do not exist, and the answer lies in experimenting with your ways of working, doing more of what works, and less of what doesn't. This would be a significant step forward for a field that has drifted aimlessly, tangled in a confusing mix of one-size-fits-all theories and trends. By focusing on the unique needs of our working environment, rather than abstract models and the fads of the moment, we stand a better chance of making meaningful progress in organisational development.

Join my online course - New Ways of Working Course: Navigating Collaboration, Complexity & Culture - to explore the patterns found in progressive organisations.

Moving Towards Complexity & Human Development

To truly move forward, we need to shift our thinking from the linear to the complex. It’s time to stop applying frameworks and methods that treat work as a set of predictable steps designed for linear, predictable systems and instead embrace the complexity of our organisations. They are dynamic systems, where interactions between people can give rise to self-organisation, much like an ecosystem, and absolutely nothing like an industrial assembly line.

So how do we cultivate this in our own workplaces? Organisations can become more flexible, resilient, and adaptive by focusing on human development—capability, autonomy, and collaboration—rather than just economic outcomes. At their core, organisations are living systems. Their development is not a straight path to success but an ongoing journey through unpredictable terrain. If we are serious about making work better, we must embrace that reality. Only then can we create organisations that are not only more effective but more sustainable in the long term.

This series explores how organisations behave as complex adaptive systems, made up of countless interacting parts, and how we must avoid making the same mistake as traditional management consultants. The way complex systems behave can either be harnessed to achieve better, more sustainable outcomes in human development or mismanaged to the point of accomplishing little more than a miserable workforce.

Not the Missionary Position or The Big Four

In the past, Western powers sent missionaries to convert so-called misguided foreigners to Christianity. These days, missions from the World Bank and IMF pour out of Washington, offering neatly packaged linear ideas of development to nations. The Big Four consulting firms, plus thousands of imitators, have a history of doing much the same to companies, pushing one-size-fits-all frameworks and universal formulas regardless of context.

Take “Lean” transformations, widely adopted in manufacturing and beyond. What worked in Toyota’s Japanese factories isn’t guaranteed to succeed in a Silicon Valley startup or an African textile mill. Local context matters a lot. And, beyond any doubt, true development isn’t something done to you; it’s what you do for yourself.?So Bayer be warned - “self-management” is not a capsule that can be swallowed.

Current management wisdom is failing millions of people. The reality is that organisational development is a local affair and largely an inside job more akin to a marathon full of unexpected twists than a sprint to the top. Sustainable economic progress must follow steady advances in human development—not the other way around. People come first, and healthy human interactions are paramount.

Join my online course - New Ways of Working Course: Navigating Collaboration, Complexity & Culture - to explore the patterns found in progressive organisations.