Collaborative Chaos

Innovations generally don’t take us from point A to B…... 

They take us from point A to Chaos.

Any significant development or change through history has almost always proven disruptive and often thrown institutions and conventions into chaos.

 

The new reality of the "blogispere" for example has clearly disrupted the publishing industry. The fact that I am able to write this article is challenging the way publishers and media agencies deal with the prolific reality of amateur and self publishing and the future of their businesses. The internet and social networks may have provided the vehicle and mechanism, but the rest is out of any institutions control and is developing under its own power. It is now also challenging conventional laws.

the mechanisms not the structures have the power to deliver the solution

The "mechanisms" therefore, not the products, have the power then for organisations to completely rethink how they achieve otherwise difficult and complex development.

Creating or utilising mechanisms, not institutions, to create and develop within, without any apparent ownership by you, may seem a bit scary or "chaotic" but they also hold the power to provide a vehicle to deliver significant outcomes for your organisation.

How much of what you may have identified in needing to obtain, develop or achieve traditionally involves structural investment and management to deliver. How often does this become too heavy to manage or create?

Letting the problem out

 Whilst it is nothing new, very few of us actually "let the problem out". In other words "not own" the development, but provide a collaborative tool that gives the market source (the apparent chaos) the power to organically produce the outcome for you.

Two things will happen. The source providers will give you more than you could actually produce inside your own capabilities and the the market consumers will show you the real focus of where you need to go.

Retaining or trying to institutionalise knowledge will only limit what can be achieved with it

Knowledge is one thing, that is the key to success, however retaining or trying to institutionalise that knowledge will only limit what can be achieved with it. The limitations being the very institution that tries to control and manage it.

Real innovation is achieved when the the knowledge it let loose.

What can you let loose today?