As constraints and boundaries shift, systems once considered ordered or complicated can transition into states of complexity, compelling organizations to revise their navigation strategies. To R!SE to the occasion early in this changing context is to preempt the chaos; it’s about building antifragile systems that not only withstand volatility but also thrive on it, fostering adaptability and innovation before the onset of disruption. This post sets forth a critical path for businesses to actively engage with systems—like markets, political frameworks, or social media networks—as they display increasing complexity.
We explore the synergy of (1) Whole-System Activation, (2) Opportunity Identification, and (3) Cyclical Elevation, laying out a holistic strategy to effectively interact with the nuanced dynamics of complexity. These pillars allow organizations to R!SE early, steering them to anticipate changes, adapt strategies, and cultivate ongoing innovation—crucial for nurturing resilience and ensuring sustainable growth in an ever-changing world.
R!SE stands for Responsive Activation, Insightful Identification, and Strategic Elevation—a triad of strategic principles that guide organizations through the intricacies of adaptive systems. Presented within a structured framework, the R!SE approach unfolds as follows:
1. Whole-System Activation: Energizing Diversity for Strategic Agility
Whole-System Activation enriches organizational engagement by dynamically incorporating every facet of the ecosystem, turning stakeholders’ collective intelligence and diverse skills into the driving force for navigating complexity. This approach dismantles traditional silos to foster an environment where cross-functional collaboration and inclusivity are the cornerstones of decision-making and strategic development.
The essence of Whole-System Activation lies in valuing the spectrum of perspectives across the organizational landscape. Integrating insights from every level and sector—frontline employees, management, customers, and community partners—taps into a broad pool of experience and knowledge. This holistic view enriches the organization’s understanding of its environment and amplifies its capacity for innovative problem-solving and foresight.
Whole-System Activation propels the organization forward by actively seeking and integrating diverse viewpoints, enhancing its ability to address emerging challenges and capitalize on new opportunities preemptively. This proactive approach to collaboration transforms the organizational culture, making adaptability, resilience, and innovation intrinsic traits.
In essence, Whole-System Activation positions diversity as a strategic asset and an operational imperative. It ensures that the organization is not merely responsive but anticipatory, equipped to thrive amidst the complexities and uncertainties of today’s dynamic environment, thereby securing sustainable success through innovation and strategic agility.
2. Opportunity Identification: The Dynamic Interplay of Sensing and Probing
Opportunity Identification advances beyond passive sensing to embrace a more vibrant, exploratory engagement with the complex environment. It suggests a dynamic interplay between sensing and probing:
Sensing involves a vigilant scanning of the organizational and external environment to detect early signals of change, trends, or emerging threats and opportunities. It’s about maintaining an attuned awareness of the subtle shifts that signal potential areas for growth, innovation, or necessary adaptation.
Probing, conversely, represents a series of targeted experiments designed to test hypotheses about the system and its responses to various stimuli. This active exploration allows organizations to interact directly with the system’s complexity, eliciting valuable insights and understanding the implications of potential strategic moves.
The fusion of sensing and probing in opportunity identification acknowledges the comprehensive engagement required to navigate and leverage the intricacies of CAS effectively. It’s a two-pronged approach where:
Sensing casts a wide net, gathering a broad spectrum of information and insights from within and outside the organization, ensuring a rich contextual understanding of the operating environment (= breadth).
Probing dives deep, undertaking specific, focused experiments that validate the insights gained through sensing and uncover more profound layers of complexity and opportunity within the system (= depth).
This method appreciates the dual necessity of expansive environmental scanning and detailed, hands-on experimentation to fully uncover and assess CAS’s multifaceted innovation and strategic growth opportunities. Through this balanced approach, organizations can identify potential pathways for development and rigorously evaluate their feasibility and strategic fit, ensuring that initiatives are both ambitious and grounded in the system’s dynamics.
By embracing the synergistic process of sensing and probing, Opportunity Identification becomes a powerful mechanism for organizations to navigate the uncertain waters of complexity, allowing them to spot, assess, and act upon opportunities with a blend of foresight and empirical insight.
Political scientist Philip Tetlock’s research, obtained from analyzing 28,000 predictions made by experts and non-experts during forecasting tournaments, revealed that experts are particularly poor at predicting the future. They even did worse than people with no specialized knowledge. He found that non-experts took a broad view, considering various factors, whereas specialists couldn’t break out of their own fields. (source: Farsighted, by Steven Johnson)
3. Cyclical Elevation: Leveraging Cycles for Growth
Cyclical Elevation invites organizations to embrace the inherent cycles within complex systems, viewing progress through an elevating spiral rather than a linear path. This perspective champions the idea that each engagement cycle, from startup to maturity, is not merely a loop but an ascent that layers the organization with richer insights, strategic depth, and tighter alignment with the shifting sands of its external environment.
Drawing from the RoundMap® philosophy, the spiral staircase metaphor illuminates this concept further. It depicts the organizational journey as an upward climb where every turn represents an opportunity to reaffirm core values and expand capabilities. This continuous ascent embodies the essence of Cyclical Elevation—where progress is marked by evolutionary leaps, each grounded in the organization’s foundational mission yet reaching for new heights of influence and effectiveness.
In the Cyclical Elevation framework, resilience and adaptability are not just traits but crucial prerequisites. They are the key to navigating the spiral staircase of business growth, enabling organizations to respond to change with agility. Each cycle becomes a moment for strategic reflection and renewal. The widening steps of the staircase, from the direct engagement of startups to the expansive reach of mature enterprises, symbolize the broadening scope of opportunities and challenges encountered along the way.
Cyclical Elevation is a dynamic process that fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation. It encourages organizations to view each cycle not as a return to the starting point but as a step up in a perpetual journey of growth. By embracing this elevating spiral, businesses can enhance their capacity for sustained success. With every turn, they emerge more resilient, more adaptable, and more closely aligned with their evolving ecosystem.
Organizations are equipped to redefine their growth strategies by incorporating the principles of Cyclical Elevation, grounded in the RoundMap® framework and enriched by the spiral staircase metaphor. This approach not only secures sustainable business success but also cultivates a culture of collaboration, innovation, and resilience, essential for thriving in the complexities of today’s business landscape.
Integrating Activation, Identification, and Elevation
The synthesis of Whole-System Activation, Opportunity Identification, and Cyclical Elevation presents a robust framework for organizations navigating the complexities of modern adaptive systems. This approach integrates three key strategies:
Whole-System Activation mobilizes the full spectrum of an organization’s ecosystem, leveraging its stakeholders’ collective intelligence and diversity. This strategy breaks down silos and fosters cross-functional collaboration, making inclusivity and diversity central to strategic decision-making. It transforms the organizational culture, embedding adaptability, resilience, and innovation as core attributes.
Opportunity Identification goes beyond passive observation to actively engage with the environment through a dynamic blend of sensing and probing. Sensing scans the internal and external environments for early signs of change, while probing involves targeted experiments to interact with and learn from the system’s complexity. This method ensures a rich understanding of the operating context and uncovers deep layers of potential for innovation and growth.
Cyclical Elevation views organizational growth as an ascending spiral, not a linear progression. This approach emphasizes evolution through learning, adaptation, and strategic renewal cycles. Each cycle enriches the organization with deeper insights and aligns it more closely with its changing environment, promoting a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
Together, these strategies form a comprehensive approach that prepares organizations to respond to the challenges of complex adaptive systems and anticipate and shape their future. Whole-System Activation ensures a broad engagement base for diverse insight; Opportunity Identification equips organizations to foresee and seize opportunities ahead of the curve; and Cyclical Elevation fosters an enduring capacity for growth and adaptation.
This synthesis empowers organizations to R!SE up by transforming complexity into a landscape of endless potential and driving sustainable success through innovation, collaboration, and resilience.
