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Organizational "Strange Actractors"

Written by: Roger Ingbretsen

Article Overview: We have for the most part looked at organizations in a traditional linear view and constantly put people, teams, departments, divisions and organizations in general into boxes often connected with lines. This is fine when trying to show where individuals reside within the context of organizations; however, it is not how organizations work.

Organizational "Strange Actractors"

We have for the most part looked at organizations in a traditional linear view and constantly put people, teams, departments, divisions and organizations in general into boxes often connected with lines. This is fine when trying to show where individuals reside within the context of organizations; however, it is not how organizations work.

Organizations are many things at once!
That is why they are in constant chaos…

One way to understand how organizations work is to have a grasp of the concept of the “strange attractor.”

A “strange attractor” is a common underlying order or sense of meaning; the common shared vision, the common purpose or commitment that unites stakeholders behind a shared purpose or course of action. It is the mechanism, a force or intuition which serves as a continuous feedback system allowing for course corrections while still attaining the desired outcome or deliverable.

This concept is the center and foundation of Chaos Theory. The “strange attractor” describes a pattern of convergence; i.e., what the system gravitates to. Since most complex systems are unpredictable and yet patterned, it is called STRANGE.

The learning for leaders and organizations is that groups of individuals (organizations) can adapt to complex situations if they have a common attraction. In fact, it is their NATURAL tendency to do so. Finding the Strange Attractor in your organization creates:

• Adaptability—clearer sense of changing priorities or pace
• Alignment—Doing things simultaneously and in coherence
• Success—thriving system
• Sustainability—thriving system over time

Chaos theory, an interesting area of management thought, essentially reveals a world that is characterized by a kind of randomness and a seeming absence of rules, where even small changes in the system produce huge amplified effects. You can't predict the effects, and you can't control them. But on deeper examination, starting at the subatomic level, you find a “strange attractor” and core order that is beautiful and harmonious

The strange attractor of management is a thing or essential physical part, such as:

• Techniques
• Incentives
• Quotas
• Rewards
• Training Programs
• Budgets
• Performance Reviews
• Organizational Charts
• Compliance to Specifications

The strange attractor of leadership is a person or the mental essential properties, such as:

• Vision
• Values
• Message
• Awareness
• Relationships
• Connectivity
• A Force of Conscience
• An Information Network
• A Thinking and Learning Experience
• Performance to a High Standard
• Meaning in Our Work

You Manage Things… You Lead People.

The leadership versus management distinction ultimately comes down to people versus things. You can use control and efficiency with things, but you need to build relationships with people. Unless people have some common sense of meaning, they won't have the Strange Attractor to unite them.


You MAY reprint the information contained in this article as long as no portion of the contents are modified and it used “exclusively” within your organization. You must also give credit to information by including the tag line...Roger M. Ingbretsen, Author, Speaker, Leadership Coach, Organizational and Career Developer.

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Article Tags: alignment, chaos theory, coherence, common purpose, complex systems, continuous feedback, desired outcome, feedback system, grasp, intuition, linear view, management thought, many things, natural tendency, randomness, shared vision, small changes, strange attractor, subatomic level, time chaos



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