Our world is changing fast, so we need to change too! The skills that used to work might not be enough anymore. David Snowden’s Cynefin® Framework helps us make sense of changes. Doing the same process over and over isn’t so helpful when everything around us is changing.
We use R+ approaches appropriate for the (Cynefin®) situation:
- learn new things (Disordered),
- take action (Chaotic),
- work with others, (Complicated) and
- understand systems – how everything is connected (Complex).
When you have different skills for different challenges, you can feel confident that you’re making good choices for yourself and your family.
- Stand out. Lead yourself and others in change.
- Be Worth More. With Resiliency+™ you show how valuable you really are.
To effectively handle different situations, it’s important to apply the right approach for each one. Here’s how you can match appropriate approaches to various situations using ideas inspired by the Cynefin® Framework and Resiliency+.
- Clear Situations:
- Approach: PROCESS. Use straightforward processes and follow best practices. These situations require clear and easy-to-understand steps.
- Example: Following a routine task at work or completing an assignment.
- Complacency Cliff:
- Approach: DENIAL. Believing that what worked in the past will continue to be predictable.
- Example: Not paying attention to upgrading skills or ignoring slowdown in work.
- Chaotic Situations:
- Approach: ACTION. Move quickly to stabilize the situation and then assess your next steps. These require immediate actions to bring some order from disorder.
- Example: Losing a job, having work outsourced, or dealing with ill health. Not able to keep house or pay bills.
Taking action to address problems right away.
- Disordered Situations:
- Approach: LEARNING. Start by identifying what kind of situation it is (from the above categories) and then apply the corresponding approach.
- Example: Learning new skillsets and mindsets to develop a mastery of process, action, learning, collaborative, and system thinking skills.
- Complicated Situations:
- Approach: COLLABORATIVE. Analyze the situation, bring in experts or mentors if needed, and develop a plan. These require more effort than simple situations but have clear cause-and-effect relationships.
- Example: Working with others to achieve a goal, deliver a service, or hold an event.
- Complex Situations:
- Approach: SYSTEMS THINKING. Experiment, probe, and learn. Adapt as you go since these situations are unpredictable and often involve multiple factors.
- Example: Working with cross-functional teams, or get various experts involved.
By aligning your approach to the type of situation you’re facing, you make more effective decisions and are better prepared to handle challenges.
Click the tabs above to get the words you need for resume or performance review.
The CLEAR domain is where things are stable and predictable. For example, when you follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) for your work, you know what to do and what the result will be.
Original Way of Thinking about a process: A machinist may
See what’s happening (the part is finished),
Know what it is (it’s a widget), and
Do what’s next (move it to the next station).
Easy!
Resiliency+™ (R+): This is where BEST PRACTICES and YOUR SKILLS come together. It’s about doing things the right way every time. Think of it like using the right tools for the job and following the checklists. Examples:
- LEAN: This is about cutting out wasted time, motion, or materials. For example, you could organize your workstation, so you don’t have to hunt for tools or find ways to reduce scrap. “I reorganized my work area, which saved me about 5 minutes per part.”
- Six Sigma is about doing things right, every time, with no mistakes. For example, double-checking your measurements or following the setup instructions exactly. “I started double-checking my measurements, which reduced the number of rejected parts by 2%.”
Showing Your Value (for reviews, etc.):
Because robots or other machines can do some simple jobs, it’s important to show you’re more than just someone who follows instructions. You need to show how you make things:
- Better (Methods): “I noticed we were wasting time walking back and forth to get parts. I suggested we move the parts closer to my station, and now we’re producing 10% more parts per shift.” Or, “I helped develop a new checklist for setting up the machine, which has reduced setup time by 15 minutes.”
- Faster (Automation – if applicable): “I learned how to use the new automated loading system, which has allowed us to increase production by 25%.” (If this applies to your job)
- Worth More (Ideas): “I suggested a small change to how we package the finished parts, which has reduced shipping damage by 5%.” Or, “I noticed a recurring problem with the machine and suggested a solution that has prevented it from happening again.”
Basically, you show that you’re not just doing your job but are always looking for ways to improve it, make it run smoother, and make the team more successful. These are the things that make you a valuable employee.
For more information, see Improvers Drive Results, a role in the R+ Skillset Value Chain.
Okay, let’s talk about the Complacency Cliff office worker style. It’s like this: you’re comfortable in your job, doing the same things you’ve always done. You think things will always be this way. That’s the danger!
The Complacency Cliff:
This is when people think, “What I’m doing now will keep working forever.” Like during the big changes a few years back, some people didn’t see the writing on the wall. They thought their jobs were safe, even though things were changing. Then, BAM! Layoffs! They were surprised, even if deep down they knew their skills weren’t up-to-date or that business was slowing down.
Surprise! Change is Here: The problem is, things do change. If you’re not learning new skills or taking on new roles, you might not be ready when things shift. Losing your job, having fewer clients, or facing competition can all mean less money. Suddenly, it’s a lot harder to make a change when you’re in crisis mode.
Shape Your Change: Being complacent can push you into a CHAOTIC situation. This can lead to really tough times: losing your home or savings, getting stressed and sick, or having problems with your family. It’s much better to be proactive.
Here’s the plan:
- SIMPLE (Process Skills): You’re good at your current job, you use your process skills, you follow the best practices. This is where you are now.
- DISORDER (Learning Behavior Skills): Recognize that things are changing. This is the time to learn new skills, explore new areas, and adapt. Be open to change and new ideas.
- COMPLICATED (Collaboration Skills): Once you’ve learned new skills, you can work with others to solve problems and make things better. You can use your new knowledge to work in teams, analyze data, and find solutions.
- COMPLEX (Systems Thinking Skills): This is the big picture. You understand how everything connects and can solve complex problems that affect the whole organization.
The key is to be a lifelong learner. Always be looking for ways to improve your skills and stay ahead of the curve. That way, when change happens (and it always does), you’ll be ready.
Let’s stick with our highly skilled plumber example. They’re usually in the SIMPLE or COMPLICATED domains – they know their trade, they can handle complex jobs, and things are generally predictable. But suddenly, they face a serious illness. This throws them into the Chaos.
Chaotic Domain
Unstable: Their health is uncertain. Their income is disrupted. Their business is at risk. Everything is in flux.
Unordered: There’s no established procedure for dealing with this. They’ve never faced this particular challenge before. There’s no clear path to recovery or business continuity.
Not Predictable: They don’t know how long they’ll be ill, if they’ll fully recover, or what the long-term impact will be on their business.
This is a classic, chaotic situation. It’s a crisis, and it demands immediate ACTION.
Action Skills (for the ill plumber):
Decision-making: Do they try to keep the business running while they’re sick? Do they temporarily shut down? Do they sell off equipment? Do they try to find a partner or merge with another plumbing business? These are high-stakes decisions that need to be made quickly.
Bringing in experts: They might need to consult with doctors, financial advisors, lawyers, or even other plumbers.
Taking risks: Perhaps they decide to specialize in a new area of plumbing that’s less physically demanding. Maybe they invest in new technology that allows them to do some work remotely. They might need to take out a loan or explore other financial options.
Demonstrating Confidence (even in a crisis): Even though things are tough, the plumber can still project CONFIDENCE. This is crucial for reassuring clients, employees, and partners.
Deliverables that show action: Even if they can’t physically work, they can still deliver value. This might include:
Introducing new partners/experts: “While I’m temporarily unavailable, I’ve partnered with [other plumber] to ensure that all my clients’ needs are met.”
Business cases for action: If they’re seeking funding or support, they might need to develop a business case outlining their plan for recovery and future growth.
Communicating with stakeholders: Keeping clients, employees, and suppliers informed about the situation and their plans.
- The Resiliency+ program emphasizes that having multiple options and expertise is key to navigating these situations. Even in chaos, the plumber can draw on their skills, their network, and their resourcefulness to find a way forward. It’s about adapting, innovating, and taking decisive action to overcome the challenges
Let’s talk about a small gym employee facing some tough times, using those Cynefin words. Imagine this employee is used to teaching classes at the gym, everything’s pretty normal and predictable – that’s like the SIMPLE domain. They know what to do, things are stable.
Then, BANG! A pandemic hits, and suddenly, no one can go to the gym. This throws everything into CHAOS. It’s unstable – the gym might close! It’s unordered – no one knows what to do! It’s not predictable – will people even want to do online workouts?
In CHAOS, the employee has to act fast. They can’t sit around and wait. They need NOVEL PRACTICES – new ideas! Maybe they learn how to use Zoom to teach classes online. Maybe they start making workout videos for YouTube. They need ACTION SKILLS – quick thinking and trying new things. It’s like a fire drill – you have to react, not overthink.
Now, let’s say things calm down a little. The gym is still open, but it’s different. Some people are doing online classes, some are coming back in person, but it’s all mixed up and hard to predict. This is DISORDER. It’s stable – the gym is still running. But it’s unpredictable – you don’t know how many people will show up for each class or if they prefer online or in-person.
In DISORDER, the employee can’t just react like in CHAOS. They need to LEARN. They need to figure out what’s going on. Are people liking the online classes? What kind of workouts are popular? They need to use LEARNING BEHAVIOR SKILLS – try things out, see what works, and adjust. It’s like being in a new school – you have to explore and figure things out before you know where you belong.
So, CHAOS is like a sudden emergency – you need to act fast and try new things. DISORDER is more like a puzzle – you need to learn and figure things out as you go. Knowing the difference helps the employee know how to handle the situation best.
Okay, let’s talk about the COMPLICATED domain. Imagine you’re trying to bake a cake. You know what you want (a delicious cake!), but there are lots of different recipes you could use. That’s the COMPLICATED domain – you know the outcome, but there are multiple good ways to get there.
Original Model: This is like having a recipe book with lots of different cake recipes. You ANALYZE the recipes, SENSE which one seems best, and then RESPOND by baking the cake. There are many GOOD ways to make a cake, and you choose the one you think will work best.
Resiliency+ (R+): Now, imagine you’re in a baking competition. Everyone has their own favorite cake recipe, and they all think their way is best. This is where COLLABORATION skills are key. Instead of arguing about whose recipe is the best, you should work together. Listen to everyone’s ideas (even the complaints!), and use ANALYTICAL skills or CONFLICT RESOLUTION methods to decide what to do. You might even want to ask some expert bakers for advice. Teamwork is really important here!
So, in the COMPLICATED domain, it’s not about finding the one best solution. It’s about working together to find a good solution that everyone can agree on.
For your resume or performance review:
- Show your analytical skills: Don’t just say you’re analytical. Show examples! Mention things like decision trees (flowcharts that help you make choices), reports you’ve written, graphs and charts you’ve created, or how you compare different options. For example, “Presented my manager with three options for the project, outlining the pros and cons of each.”
- Don’t be stuck on one idea: It’s better to give your manager a few different options (low-risk, medium-risk, high-risk, for example) than to insist that your way is the only way. This shows you can think creatively and consider different perspectives.
- Show your collaboration skills: Provide evidence of your teamwork. Mention things like meeting agendas you’ve created, project schedules you’ve managed, contact lists you’ve organized, or how you’ve used tools like RACI charts (which clarify roles and responsibilities). Talk about how you’ve reached out to others for advice or information. For example, “Collaborated with the marketing team to develop a new strategy, incorporating their feedback and addressing their concerns.”
COMPLEX DOMAIN. In Snowden’s Complexity Domain, there are many different systems impacting the problem. In this state (probe-sense-respond) it is important to find your way through these tangled influences. This is an UNORDERED state, which benefits from EMERGENT PRACTICES, which are discovered on the journey.
In Resiliency+ variant, we match the COMPLEXITY DOMAIN with SYSTEMS THINKING SKILLS. Often complex situations require multiple groups of experts, or cross-functional teams, with different strengths.
Show your unique value by being able to identify people with different thinking methods expertise (strategic vs. tactical, systems vs. design, linear vs. spiral thinkers). Come to our class to find out how to identify them, and use words that connect with their thoughts.
In your resume, or performance management report, list examples of
cross-functional teams, (enterprise-wide programs, diverse audiences),
complexity management tools (databases, mind mapping, report generators), or
extensive networking experience (able to talk to people you don’t know and ask for their help.)
Okay, let’s think about your life’s journey using these new terms. It’s like a map with different kinds of terrain, and you need different tools for each.
SIMPLE: This is like walking on a smooth, paved path. You know where you’re going and how to get there. You use your PROCESS skills, like following a recipe or doing your homework the usual way, but maybe finding small ways to do it even better (like using a LEAN method to organize your notes). Example: Doing your chores, but figuring out a faster way to do them.
COMPLACENCY CLIFF: Uh oh! You’re still walking on that smooth path, but you’re not paying attention to the signs that it’s about to end. You think things will always be easy, but suddenly, BAM! The cliff! Things change, and you aren’t ready. Example: You’re doing well in your job, so you stop studying, and then your skills are outdated as the role changes. You lose your job, or your team is laid off.
CHAOTIC: Now you’ve fallen off the cliff! Everything is a mess, and it’s hard to figure out what to do. You need to act quickly and try new things (NOVEL practices). You use ACTION skills, like when you have a fire drill and need to get out of the building fast. Example: You lose your phone and have to figure out how to contact your friends without it.
DISORDER: You’re confused. You don’t know which path you’re on! You need to figure out what’s going on before you can move forward. This is where LEARNING BEHAVIOR skills come in. You need to learn and adapt. Example: You’re in a new school and don’t know where your classes are. You have to ask for directions and look at a map.
COMPLICATED: You’re back on a path, but it’s not as smooth as before. You’re working with a small team to solve a problem. You know where you want to end up (the KNOWN goal), but there are different ways to get there. You need to ANALYZE the different options. Example: You and your friends are planning a surprise party. You need to figure out who to invite, where to have it, and what food to bring. Or your group needs conflict resolution skills and you don’t have them.
COMPLEX: Now the path is really tricky! You’re working with lots of different teams, and nobody is completely sure where the path will lead. You’re in UNCERTAIN territory. You need to use SYSTEMS THINKING skills to explore new ideas (EMERGENT practices). Example: Your school is trying to solve a problem like bullying. Different groups of students, teachers, and parents need to work together to come up with solutions. It’s not one simple answer, and they have to try different things to see what works.
- SIMPLE. Tell about a time when you: learned repeatable PROCESS SKILLS, improved the work you did by yourself, or wrote a job aid for BEST practice.
- COMPLACENCY CLIFF. Describe what happened when you were unaware (or in denial) of change that impacted you.
- CHAOTIC. Discuss what happened in a crisis. What NOVEL practice did you use for your ACTION skills? Describe how you acted, then made corrections, based on results.
- DISORDER. Tell about how you used LEARNING BEHAVIOR skills, in order to transition to a better state. How did you start to learn, and what was the result?
- COMPLICATED. Describe how you built COLLABORATION skills, working with others in analyzing a situation, so you could make GOOD practices. What did you show your team, so they could make better decisions?
- COMPLEX. Discuss a situation with many parts. What EMERGENT practices came out of it when you used with SYSTEMS THINKING skills? How did you work with many teams, to improve how they gave information to you? What reports or tools did you use to coordinate the impacts or dependencies of actions (see risks and avoid them)?
People will pay you to spot problems before they happen. They want you to be good at thinking, so you can clearly talk to different audiences (other view points). They want you to know the ‘big picture’ so you can spot problems early, and get diverse teams take action to lessen the negative impact.
COMPLEX. Cynefin®, complexity management, systems thinking, cross-functional teams, uncertainty, ambiguity, critical thinking, creative thinking,
COMPLICATED. team member, team leader, focal point, analytical, conflict resolution, reporting, decision-trees, matrix,
DISORDER. learning behavior, disorder, transition, change management, continuing education, learning plan, cross-training,
SIMPLE.
policy (Why),
process (What),
procedure (How),
job aids, mentoring, on-the-job-training (OJT),
ANTI-COMPLACENCY. Situational awareness, looking-over-the-horizon, environmental scanning, overcome self-sabotage, being prepared for change, leading self and others through change,
CHAOTIC. Action oriented. Spiral/Agile thinking, Plan, Do, Check, Act, Decisive, Decision-making tools, hierarchy, unknown, Novel or innovative ideas, able to move from CHAOTIC to COMPLEX state and bring in experts, and rapid proto-typing.
Many people don’t like change. It’s uncertainty causes anxiety, and favorite coping mechanisms often lead to inappropriate ‘çomfort-zone’ action or ineffective distractions.
You will stand out if you have the methods, tools, and ideas to show you are better, faster, and worth more.
You are more highly-sought-after if you know which appropriate approach to apply to changing situations.
The Resiliency+ program builds your skills in each of these areas, so you are considered the best choice. Be ready to show you can lead yourself and others through change.
Give an example of how you were in changing situations.
- How did you identify what state you were in, and what were the appropriate approaches especially needed?
- What methods, tools, or ideas helped you adapt and be successful?
SITUATION
ACTION
RESULTS
MISSION
I help workers adapt to their changing work environments, so they transition to new roles (even retirement) with more confidence and ease. When they have diverse skillsets to adapt to whatever comes their way, they stand out from others who expect to do what they are told.
VISION
Using Complexity Management methods, such as Cynefin and Systems Thinking, my books, podcasts, and classes help participants choose how they want to live transformational change.
With words, templates, and practical experience, their resumes and performance reviews, show how they lead them selves quickly to appropriate approaches, not just their most comfortable actions.
SABOTAGE
If they are not competent, and confident, in many different approaches,
then they may get stuck with inappropriate approaches that lead to mediocre results.
Their managers would not be so happy if they spent time improving processes (SIMPLE), if conflict resolution, and the ability to influence management decisions (COMPLICATED), skills were what were really needed.
