Tag Archives: Complex

Confusion, Cascades and Combinant Effects

Posted on April 6, 2022 by julianstodd

Whilst attributed to Gene Kranz, Mission Controller for Apollo, the quote ‘Failure is not an option’ was actually penned by the screenwriters of the 1995 Apollo 13 film. Kranz just liked it so much that he claimed it back for … Continue reading →

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Building Complexity

Posted on April 4, 2022 by julianstodd

This week i’m running sessions around ‘Failure, Complexity and Control’, based around my book ‘To The Moon and Back – Leadership Reflections from Apollo’. Today i’ve been working on this quick illustration as i tie up the loose ends and … Continue reading →

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In Search of Risk

Posted on February 22, 2022 by julianstodd

The term ‘Risk’ defines our exposure to danger, but it’s held in many different ways, in many different spaces, and through varied mechanisms. Many of our forward facing conversations, about change, about innovation, about leadership, involve aspects of risk, some … Continue reading →

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Complexity and Belief

Posted on March 10, 2020 by julianstodd

This is a #WorkingOutLoud post exploring complexity, and the role of belief: it relates to several broader strands of work that explore the social structure of Organisations, and the mechanisms of change. At heart, Organisations are made up of components, … Continue reading →

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A State Of Radical Complexity

Posted on July 5, 2017 by julianstodd

When the banks collapsed in the last financial crisis, there was a phrase bandied about, that some were ‘too big to fail’. This week i’ve been pondering something of the opposite: are some organisations ‘too big to succeed’. I’m not … Continue reading →

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Complex Collaboration

Posted on March 29, 2017 by julianstodd

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 … Continue reading →

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To Simple, Through Complexity

Posted on April 14, 2015 by julianstodd

Agility comes through fluidity: an ability to adapt to circumstance, to diagnose, to deploy, to learn. In essence, it’s simple: codify enough into process to give replicability and scale, keep enough freedom to adapt, to change course as circumstance demands. … Continue reading →

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Why small details make a huge difference: how do you drive a Toyota Prius?

Posted on March 29, 2012 by julianstodd

Today, i am saving the world, one mile at a time. You see, i’ve got a long journey to make and i hired a Toyota Prius, the eco pioneer vehicle of choice, with it’s ground breaking ability to run on … Continue reading →

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