Arena: Navigating Complex Issues
Characteristics of Complex Issues
Introduction
Explore the nature of complex issues and how we can work effectively to improve our position over time. Complex issues are defined by key characteristics: variables and their rate of change (volatility), chronic high-uncertainty, ambiguity, and cause and effect (causation) is unknown. Good intentions and hard work are not enough to respond to complex issues especially given the ambiguity in terms of causation. Retrospective coherence is when we can look back and make sense of cause and effect. But, how do we make decisions in the present before we have the benefit of hindsight? We need to align our decisions with clarity of higher purpose.