Emergence or Certainty
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A sliding scale between emergence and certain outcomes – what do I mean by that? It’s an ongoing battle in my work at the moment. At one end of the extreme is the economically determined need to demonstrate clear outcomes, value for money, return on investment. At the other end of the spectrum is the ability to experiment, to test out new ideas and to dive into new projects with an expectation that something concrete and immensely useful will emerge without being certain what that is.
At the certain end of this spectrum then is the project plan which is developed with immense detail to set out the project and clearly determine what will be achieved by it. This makes for some really clear decisions about any proposed investment.
At the other end of the spectrum is the experimental. And yet, some of the biggest companies in the world today began life in this openly experimental way. So many digital companies like Google started out with a clear aspiration, but no clear model as to how they would make money. Some succeed, some fail.
In publicly funded services we are rapidly moving to the certain end of this spectrum and away from the emergent. This leaves the world a poorer place!
3 thoughts on “Emergence or Certainty”
It was great to see it in action and being played out for real Stuart. Interesting thoughts Kevin and very vivid….. no fear. Is that possible? Aren’t we hard wired? Isn’t fear of loss/success what generates movement? I think I’m in the ‘feel the fear and do it anyway camp’. I appreciate that fear has negative connotations, particularly when there is an increasing evidence base for more positive psychological approaches…. choosing to think and behave differently. Will have to think about this one….. perhaps a blog is coming on
Thanks for the comment Kevin. I love the metaphors! Yes, I agree that it is always a tricky balancing act. And I think you have captured the likelihood of irritation on frustration on both sides of this really well. I guess the trick is in finding a way to make space for the experimental but ensure that there is a critical friend who can help to translate experiments into the language of certainty.
Great post Stuart
The call for innovation and agility in the public sector constantly clashes with the equally load call for Measurable Benefits and a cash based ROI. I don’t think these rutting stags make easy bedfellows, both irritating the other with sharp antlers, cold toes and a habit of hogging the single duvet on the kingsized bed.
The organisations that seem to get this right have a clear purpose, a load of energy and enthusiasm and bags and bags of TRUST that the good people they employ will have great ideas and will be given the go-ahead to try them out, learning as they go, without FEAR.