Dramatic Dilemmas:Drama-based Decision Support

Baracskai, Dörfler, Stierand, Szendrey, Velencei

CEO – strategic thinking sometimes precedes, sometimes follows the action

The essence of planning is achieving goals. In contrast the essence of strategic thinking is a fuzzy picture of the future –which is also likely to change which is also likely to change during the implementation.

We must realize that continuous strategic thinking is independent of both time and space.

CIO – don’t wait for the smart strategist

The revolutions announced by “smart strategies” from above and the “technocratic process reforms” from the side are outdated.

It is time for innovations from wherever.

Innovative organizations typically concentrate on the changes from below.

CKO – strategic thinking can only be loosely described

The desire for making the business processes deterministic indicates the lack of systemic thinking.

Real system thinking also includes the possibility of living includes the possibility of living together with chaotic processes.

We must realize that the process of strategic thinking requires a different management approach.

CHO - strategic thinking may only get citizenship in the right atmosphere

(Re-)Setting the atmosphere is always about rethinking human relationships.

We must also pay attention We must also pay attention to mavericks whose strength is thinking differently.

In many ways the mavericks need anti-leaders…

new paradigm – we are all prisoners of our paradigms

Any decision takers can only see reality through their own paradigms and can describe it only with the concepts they use in their

get away from sharks – or become one

adjust capacity

concepts they use in their thinking.

Everyone will see differently the reality of the innovation and its contradictions.

the innovation might succeed

be the only one

new context – new concepts call for new contest(s)

Pitching innovative ideas requires the new concepts to be put into a context that get the attention then and there.

Is a stable(?) web of concepts available?

Einstein is most scientists’ hero for his intellectual courage.

new validation – innovation does not need planning but validation

Any innovation is based on creativity and any creativity means new knowledge.

Whether the new Whether the new knowledge is allowed into the community is decided in a discussion.

If it is allowed than it gets validated then and there.

new identity – it is easier to copy than to develop one, but “do I know who I am”?

Decision takers strongly lean towards accepting into their organizations identities with transparent and followable rules.

How do I know who I am until I see what I wear.

Who wants to be told what to do? Is more freedom better?

4×4

DREAM BIG(CEO)

DON'T WAIT FOR A SMART STRATEGY

(CIO)

ACCEPT DIFFERENT STRUCTURES

(CKO)

CREATE INNOVATIVE ECOLOGY

(CHO)

newparadigm

1. RISKY VS. UNIMAGINABLE

2. ORIGINAL VS. IMITATION

3. MEASURABLE VS.IMMEASURABLE

4. REPLACEABLE VS. IRREPLACEABLE

newcontext

5. RESPONSIBILITY VS. INTELLECTUAL INTEGRITY

6. COMPLETE VS. INCOMPLETE

7. FACTS VS.INTERPRETATION

8. CONSUME-IDIOT VS. NETOCRAT

newvalidation

9. HOPE VS. POSSIBILITY10. PRE-FILTER VS. POST-FILTER

11. COOL VS. RETRO12. FRENETIC CHASING VS.

URGENCY

newidentity

13. GLOBAL VS. LOCAL 14. MASSES VS. TRIBES15. INTEGRATED VS. DIFFERENTIATED

16. RESOURCE VS. HUMAN BEING

Drama: Romeo and Juliet'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!

What's in a name? that which we call a roseWhat's in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And for that name which is no part of thee

Take all myself. (Act 2, Scene 2)

dramatic dilemma: RISKY VS UNTHINKABLE

If an original innovation seeks answer to a question we could not even ask before – then we are looking at business through a different window.a different window.

In any one moment into one direction you can only look through one single window – but you can change the universe you are in…

the gods must be crazy…

old concept 1: Vision Statement by the Planning Department

To make things secure: give the leader instructions so tight and prescriptive that (s)he cannot make a mistake.

The role of the leader becomes to jitter for no changes (surprises) in the future – at least until the implementation is concluded

old concept 2: Vision Statement based on Causal Relation

We like causal relations as they promise a world for which we can prepare –where the rules can be known and there are also rules according to which rules according to which the known rules change.

We are happy to deny the existence of more complex relationships and processes.

trigger concept: sensemaking

How we make sense of the world is useful to us only.

To make it potentially useful to others they must be to others they must be convincing, sensible and trustworthy.

If the maverick makes sense differently than anyone else – how can this be shared?

new concept 1: The Third Eye of the (New) Alchemists

Gold and the Philosopher’s Stone (something valuable from nothing or valueless).

I proudly presented my I proudly presented my original ideas to the leaders of the bank:

� Have there been any banks who did something like this before?

� No – yours will be the first!

new concept 2: Black Swan

All basketball players are tall but not all tall people are basketball players.

Being unique in different Being unique in different ways – business as unusual.

Why the CEO is not interested in the ROI for creating a Corporate University?

Uljana Semjonova: 214cm, 140kg