Leading in Complexity

Robert Wolfe

Recording: No (on-site only)Language: English, DutchDuration: 45 min / 15 minSession rating: 4.2/5 from 71 participants
Leading in Complexity

This one runs as an interactive workshop: the hour includes exercises your colleagues do themselves, not only a talk.

Session Summary

- Session available on-site only -

Sometimes, the way we approach a problem becomes the problem itself, but we may not be aware of it. For instance, when we address complex situations with a linear mindset and find that our solutions have limited impact, it can be surprising.

This workshop offers an experiential approach to help people understand what happens when there's a mismatch between the type of problem they encounter and the kind of solutions they try. You will grasp the Cynefin model from IBM, which views problems as "living" in different domains and requiring appropriate leadership styles for response. The lecture is dynamic and lively, yet quite philosophical in nature.

Interaction

During the expert session, Robert Wolfe engages the audience through a mix of storytelling and interactive exercises.

Key Learnings

Understanding Problem Domains

Learn to differentiate between the types of problems—simple, complicated, complex, or chaotic—and understand how each requires distinct approaches and solutions.

Tailored Leadership Strategies

Discover how to apply appropriate leadership styles based on the problem domain to enhance the effectiveness of your responses.

Improving Problem-Solving Impact

Gain insights into aligning your problem-solving strategies with the specific characteristics of the issues you face, leading to more impactful and effective solutions.

Detailed session description

- Session available onsite only -

Often, the way we approach a problem can become the problem itself, particularly when we apply a linear mindset to complex situations and find our solutions falling short. This workshop offers an experiential learning approach to uncover how a mismatch between the nature of a problem and the solutions we apply can limit effectiveness.

Participants will explore this concept through the Cynefin model, developed by IBM, which categorizes problems into different domains and advocates for tailored leadership styles to address each type effectively.

The Cynefin model provides a framework for understanding that problems are not one-size-fits-all. It helps participants recognize how different problems—whether simple, complicated, complex, or chaotic—require distinct approaches and responses.

By delving into this model, attendees will learn to align their problem-solving strategies with the specific characteristics of the issues they face.

This dynamic and philosophical workshop encourages a deep reflection on how our problem-solving approaches can be adjusted to achieve better outcomes. Through engaging activities and discussions, you will gain valuable insights into effective leadership and problem-solving strategies, enhancing your ability to address challenges in a more impactful and nuanced manner.

Before you book

Questions about Leading in Complexity

Is this session interactive, or do people just watch?

It is interactive, and the block above says exactly how for this session. Nobody has to speak up who does not want to: the chat and the polls carry most of it, and the questions can come in anonymously.

Is this for beginners or for people who already know the subject?

- Session available on-site only - Sometimes, the way we approach a problem becomes the problem itself, but we may not be aware of it. For instance, when we address complex situations with a linear mindset and find that our solutions have limited impact, it can be surprising. It is built for a general working audience: no prior knowledge is assumed, and people who already know the subject get the research and the practical side rather than an introduction.

Is this a workshop or a talk?

A workshop. The description of this session says so itself: the hour includes exercises and activities that participants do, not only an expert speaking. It still runs live and online, for as many colleagues as you want to invite.

Is Robert the right expert for this?

Robert Wolfe is one of the experts we auditioned ourselves, and we produce every session so we see how each one lands. Participants rate this session 4.4 out of 5, across 749 responses, and rate Robert personally 4.6 out of 5.

How long does it take, and what do we have to prepare?

It runs 45 min / 15 min: the talk, then live questions. All you do is pick a date. We brief Robert, produce the session, host and moderate it, run the Q&A, and send you the report within an hour of the end.

Who can join, and where does it run?

A team, a department, an employee network or every single employee at once, with no cap and no per-seat price. It runs inside your own Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, or on a branded page we build. No integration, no login, no company device or e-mail.

Can our global colleagues follow it?

The session is delivered in English, Dutch. You can add high accuracy live subtitles in 8, 16 or 24 languages, so everyone follows in their own. That is a paid option, priced by the number of languages you need.

Will our IT department have a problem with this?

No, and that is by design. There is nothing to install, nothing to integrate and no connection to your systems, so there is nothing for IT to validate: we join your own Teams, Zoom or Meet as a guest speaker, or we host a page and your people open a link. No software, no accounts, and no data of yours that we can reach. It is why hundreds of companies, among them some of the largest technology and financial firms in the world, were able to start within a day.

How does this work under GDPR?

We never receive or hold personal data about your employees. Because the session runs in your own environment, attendance and identity stay with you, and what we report back is aggregated: numbers, ratings and survey answers, not people. That is also why IT approval usually takes minutes rather than weeks.

What do we get afterwards?

This one is live only. You also get attendance over time, participant ratings for the content and the speaker, the survey answers, and the topics your people asked for next.

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