A633.2.3.RB - Butterfly Effect

Prior to the readings, I did not know much about complexity science, relativity theory and other theories about the world that we live in. Taking away from them I can conclude that complexity is inevitable in an organization and it is something that has to be planned for and managed. Complexity can at the same time have simple components and solutions and it is a constant balancing act just as it is in the natural world. For organizations the environment is highly unpredictable and the more external and internal factors that a company is interconnected with the more complex and more unpredictable the environment. The butterfly effect, which ultimately states that a simple, seemingly insignificant event in a complex system can yield large changes, is a fascinating phenomenon to grasp. The Law of the Conservation of Energy states that the effort you put in will dictate the result you get out (Obolensky, 2010), but the butterfly effect negates that and shows that that sometimes small actions can yield large results. In an organization this is particularly true.

I can think of several times in our organization and my coaching career when a small change has yielded big results. In an athletic department and in sports team this happens quite often. A team sport such as basketball is one of the most interconnected sports. All 5 players are in close physical proximity, they all play defense and offense, and they are all in charged of scoring. This interconnection brings in a different dimension to the game and what it takes to be successful. The more talented team does not always win and there is a fine line between the correlation of talent and intangibles such as chemistry. In my six years at ERAU as a player and coach I have experienced many small coaching decisions that have made a huge impact. One that stands out is a story told to me by our head coach about a player he had a few years before me. Luis was one of the best players in the country, a prolific scorer and superior athlete who played both ends of the floor. There was only one problem with Luis, none of his teammates enjoyed playing with him, he never was engaged in huddles, and displayed selfish body language all too often. Coach made the decision to limit his playing time, which not only seems like a small decision but in the eyes of some, benching your best player seemed like the wrong decision. Luis went on to sit the rest of the season until a national tournament game when he had learned his lesson. But during the time without him the team won the conference and earned a bid to the national tournament all without their best player. They were playing together and inspired without the cancer of a teammate they once had. This is an example of a seemingly small decision such as  a single players minutes having a huge impact on team morale and success.

Another example can be seen in the administrative side of athletics. We often see coaches who come into a losing program and turn things around. A new coach who comes into a program with already existing players (and maybe recruits one or two new players) can have a huge impact on the success of the team. One may ask how one-person change can bring success to a team with the same talent or very similar? Well I believe it is attested to the butterfly effect and that small decision to hire an new coach who changes little things about the program the team and the culture that lead to big things in the long run.

This can be the case in an organization who makes a small personnel or organizational change that yields huge results. I believe in my organization the implications of complexity are just the unknowns and unpredictables that it brings forth, but with good assertive leadership and the right culture complexity does not have to be something we fear but rather something we thrive in.

A633.1.2.RB - Leadership Gap

When I reflect on my attitudes towards leaders I feel as if not much has changed. I always considered myself a leader whether it was in youth sports or with my younger brother, I always felt the need to do things the right way and set the example. Growing up I always looked up to people who I considered leaders such as my parents or my coaches, people who had a positive impact in my life. This admiration drove me to want to be a leader by example and I have continued to do so in my college basketball career and life. I believe the only thing that has changed about my ideas of leadership would be the scope of impact that a leader can have. As I came to college and played four years for my head coach Steve Ridder I came to realize what leadership is all about, serving others, empowering others, and doing things the right way for the right reasons. I realized just how impactful a single leader can be to so many people around them and it made me want to become a better leader who impacts other people positively.

I do not know much about my grandparents generation or even my parents but I believe that their views on leadership where a bit different. Leader’s in their eyes and generations were more likely positional leaders such as bosses and you listened to them because of their position. Nowadays I believe that things have shifted to a more meaningful form of leadership in which people do not want to be told what to do, now leaders inspire action. I believe this trend is continuing but it is a balance of the two as we lean more toward the substance of leadership such as inspiring action, empowering others, and leading by example.

I believe this has occurred partly because of the shift in our society and culture that everyone is becoming more and more educated in the workplace. People who have dedicated many years of their lives to mastering their craft in school do not want to come into a place of work where their boss just bosses them around. They want someone with experience that will motivate them and help them grow. This calls for leaders who want to build relationships and help grow the people and the organization they are a part of.