Complex Collaboration

One of the core themes around the Socially Dynamic Organisation is that it deeply connected: not simply through formal hierarchy, but through webs of trust, reputation, respect, and fairness. These bonds sit primarily within the social system, hence the journey for an organisation to become more Socially Dynamic is primarily one of building interpersonal connections outside the immediate, local space. Indeed if one mapped the connections within a Socially Dynamic Organisation, they would reach far and wide, but remain almost entirely invisible to the formal view of the organisation itself.

I often say that things like Social Leadership and Social Learning are not things that we do, not things that we cause, but rather things that emerge from high functioning system: in other words, if we create the space, then these things will happen, if we nurture and support, then this will occur, but if we seek to own and control, we may stamp it out.

Complex collaboration is that which happens beyond the simple and obvious: it’s likely to be asynchronous and not necessarily reciprocal in the moment, but rather a function of investment into communities, and reputation building over time. It’s complex collaboration that will help us to be more effective, both individually, and organisationally: as Social Leaders we are more effective through our communities, with whom we have forged deep and trusted bonds.

Organisations often focus on the outputs of the Socially Dynamic system: they want innovation, they want loyalty, they want to trust, they want engagement, but the foundation of all of this is the connected nature and deeply fair high functioning of the system itself. If we want these things, we have to live these things. If we want complex collaboration, we have to engage and collaborate, and one key aspect of collaboration is that its co-creative: we have to invest in, and relinquish control of the very thing we are trying to build. The humble Social Leader, acting in isolation, is better able to gain traction in the formal organisation deploying its massive power.