As human beings, we have an innate desire to feel safe and secure.
As such, we are naturally attracted to environments, which are characterised by certainty and predictability.
We instinctively gravitate towards situations, in which we feel comfortable and seek to put distance between ourselves and anything which threatens our sense of equilibrium and stability.
These deep-rooted characteristics help to explain why, consciously or unconsciously, we feel uncomfortable when confronted with complexity and uncertainty.
In complex and highly uncertain environments, we not only feel uncomfortable, but exposed and threatened.
When you consider our primitive roots, this makes total sense. Straying too far from the camp fire and forgetting our way back could have fatal consequences.
So, how do we make sense of highly complex and unpredictable environments? How do we confront the challenges and safely navigate our way through?
We do so, by building an intelligence picture, in order to analyse all the things that we don't know and gradually identify the best course of action.
In a military context, Wikipedia offers the following definition:
"Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a range of sources, directed towards the commanders' mission requirements or responding to questions as part of operational or campaign planning. To provide an analysis, the commander's information requirements are first identified, which are then incorporated into intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination."
Thus, through an incremental process of information collection and analysis, we are able to reduce complexity and identify the best way forwards.
As part of the work, which I'm currently doing, to develop and release a brand new version of Stacked by 31st March, I find myself confronted with a great deal of complexity and uncertainty.
I am fortunate to be working alongside a great team of people, for whom I have the utmost respect.
One guy in particular, has, on numerous occasions, referred to the importance of building an intelligence picture. As someone who was tasked with the disposal of bombs, in active war zones, during his time in the military, I take great comfort in the approach that he has been proposing.
If building an intelligence picture can help us to safely navigate highly pressurised, life and death situations, then navigating complexity in a personal or business setting starts to seem trivial doesn't it?
So, if you find yourself confronted with complexity and uncertainty, I would encourage you to take a step back, build an intelligence picture and gradually navigate your safe passage.
As such, we are naturally attracted to environments, which are characterised by certainty and predictability.
We instinctively gravitate towards situations, in which we feel comfortable and seek to put distance between ourselves and anything which threatens our sense of equilibrium and stability.
These deep-rooted characteristics help to explain why, consciously or unconsciously, we feel uncomfortable when confronted with complexity and uncertainty.
In complex and highly uncertain environments, we not only feel uncomfortable, but exposed and threatened.
When you consider our primitive roots, this makes total sense. Straying too far from the camp fire and forgetting our way back could have fatal consequences.
So, how do we make sense of highly complex and unpredictable environments? How do we confront the challenges and safely navigate our way through?
We do so, by building an intelligence picture, in order to analyse all the things that we don't know and gradually identify the best course of action.
In a military context, Wikipedia offers the following definition:
"Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a range of sources, directed towards the commanders' mission requirements or responding to questions as part of operational or campaign planning. To provide an analysis, the commander's information requirements are first identified, which are then incorporated into intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination."
Thus, through an incremental process of information collection and analysis, we are able to reduce complexity and identify the best way forwards.
As part of the work, which I'm currently doing, to develop and release a brand new version of Stacked by 31st March, I find myself confronted with a great deal of complexity and uncertainty.
I am fortunate to be working alongside a great team of people, for whom I have the utmost respect.
One guy in particular, has, on numerous occasions, referred to the importance of building an intelligence picture. As someone who was tasked with the disposal of bombs, in active war zones, during his time in the military, I take great comfort in the approach that he has been proposing.
If building an intelligence picture can help us to safely navigate highly pressurised, life and death situations, then navigating complexity in a personal or business setting starts to seem trivial doesn't it?
So, if you find yourself confronted with complexity and uncertainty, I would encourage you to take a step back, build an intelligence picture and gradually navigate your safe passage.