I have been reflecting on the differences between working in complicated systems and complex systems. Complicated systems, for example, are characterized by a closed set of variables. The system is knowable because the number of variables in the system doesn’t change. There can be a lot of variables, but to understand the whole system we must analyze all the moving parts to see what is working or broken. When dealing with a complicated system, we break things down into workable segments to help us make the system function more successfully.
On the other hand, complex systems are characterized by a dynamic, open, and evolving set of variables. Complex systems are constantly changing, and because new variables emerge, they can’t be fully known or understood like complicated systems. Because complex systems are always in motion, analyzing the parts will only frustrate us as parts change and new parts suddenly appear. It is an endless cycle of reanalyzing without reaching a predictable outcome or decision. Complex systems require us to think in wholes, not parts. We must see the patterns and flow of the system to recognize the probabilities of what will emerge. The emergence that comes from patterns helps us determine direction and strategy.
Thinking in wholes on the North Shore
Because I have been thinking about the difference between complicated and complex systems, I have been looking at Nature from a more integrated perspective. During my walks and out the window of my Lake Superior vacation home, I’ve been noticing its deep connectivity.
In previous retreats on the North Shore, I wrote blogs about the moods of the lake, fog, or wind. This year, I realize the moods of the lake are connected to many things: the color of the sky, the incoming weather, the wind velocity, among other things. I always sensed they were connected, but I hadn’t considered them as an integrated whole.
This trip on the North Shore reminds me to think holistically about what I am enjoying.
My first post from this year’s North Shore visit talked about horizon gazing. One can experience beauty and a sense of awe when looking across a large distance for a long and wide perspective. Today, I realize that Nature invites me to view the seen and unseen connections around me. The color of the sky reflects on Lake Superior, and together they shape the mood of the scene, while also signaling weather shifts still out of sight. The roots of the grasses, young trees, and established trees are all connected, but in ways that are unseen to my eye.
Understanding complexity through Nature
When we want to understand complexity, Nature is an excellent teacher because it is complex by design! Just because we can’t see it all doesn’t mean that these connections don’t exist. Nature invites us to look for both the seen and unseen relationships in its ecosystems—to take the time to sit in the natural world and notice. I find that my ability to see more wholeness increases the longer I sit in Nature. Being present over time allows me to recognize connections clearly and imagine unseen connections.
We live in a world where complexity is commonplace. This requires us to develop the ability to see and think in wholeness. Understanding connection in wholes will not help us control the system or organization we are in. Instead, this new insight invites us to learn how to partner—and eventually dance—with complexity.
