At face value these two words are interchangeable but there is a significant difference between ‘complicated’ and ‘complex’.
‘Complicated’ is a situation which has many different parts but there is a natural and predictable flow from one part to the next. There is a cause and effect at play and the outcome, despite having many seperate components, is predictable and logical.
‘Complex’ is a situation that is affected by multiple factors and circumstances where these factors may not be connected or related to one another. These situations are unpredictable and clear solutions are not obvious. It’s not black or white, there are a lot of variables making an outcome/solution not clearly apparent.
To differentiate between the two, let’s compare a car engine to traffic. A car engine is ‘complicated’ - it has many moving parts which all work together in a predictable way. Traffic is ‘complex’ - it has multiple vehicles, drivers, and environmental factors which need to be navigated that are unpredictable. Another way of looking at is that ‘complicated’ is the science, where’ complex’ is the art. A good leader can dance between the two, determining what approach is required in a given situation.
As ‘complicated’ is a technical problem with predictable patterns, it requires a technical solution and expertise to implement it. In this state, ‘analysis -paralysis’ can become a problem as an individual over thinks a problem. The optimum approach is to methodically work through the problem to understand the root cause of the issue. Understanding the logic can identify the ‘break’ in the link.
In many circumstances, leaders try to solve a “complex’ issue with a blunt technical (complicated) solution. In other words, they try to find a simple solution for a complex issue. In a ‘complex’ situation with multiple variables, a standard cookie-cutter approach does not work. In a ‘complex’ situation, adaptive leadership is required - the ability to adjust and pivot to determine what works and what doesn’t. Trial and error, constantly testing assumptions, asking the right questions, and ongoing communication are all important ingredients in this phase to find a solution.
Dealing with people is a typical example of a ‘complex’ situation as every person has their own collection of unknown variables (this becomes even becomes more complex when dealing with groups). Emotions, personalities, knowledge, experiences, motivators, and mindset all differ between individuals and all influence their performance. Throw in all the other attributes of a potential issue, i.e., context, environment, circumstances, relationship, precedents, and you can see why ‘complex’ situations can be difficult to navigate.
As a leader you need to develop the ability to dance between the two stages, adapting your leadership approach to different contexts. Understanding the nature of the issue equips you with the most appropriate approach to resolve it. “Different problem situations warrant different approaches to find the right solution” David Snowden”
For more information on the different approaches to tackle different situations or problems, refer to The Cynefin (kuh-nev-in) Framework which explores these concepts in more detail.
Comments