Emergent complexity might be today's hot leadership concept, but what it teaches us about objectives, performance expectations and corporate values is timeless.

Attention leaders: here it comes again, a new idea about performance, life and leadership. The next new concept is dubbed “emergent complexity.” Emergence refers to the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions. Here's one example: Think of a flock of birds or a school of fish moving in sync effortlessly.

Science is experimenting with the models of emergent complexity for applications in life or work. Yes, this idea is exciting – maybe even a little scary.

My bet is that as fast as publishers are working to release materials on this topic, consultants are exploring another new leadership concept.

Here's the good news: I believe the exploration of emergent complexity is another example that we're coming full circle in what we know about the way people function and what motivates high performance.

More accurately, I believe we're coming full spiral, so, buckle your seat belts! Why? Well, as soon as a new concept comes around for us to learn about, more work to do is not far behind.

New concepts such as emergent complexity bring with them polarity. I sense that with emergent complexity, a spiraled continuum is moving toward positive performance possibilities; however, the negative side is that there are ever more demands on us as leaders to guide, model and perform ourselves. So what about this new leadership idea brings us full spiral? And how is emergent complexity just a spiral of stuff we already know?

There are great examples of full spiral out there already. I have entrepreneur friends whose business model reflects that of a monarchy where decisions come down to the leader's – or king or queen's – whim.

Then there's the traditional corporate hierarchy. Take traditional hierarchy full circle and you'll find historians who trace the beginning of this model to the Catholic Church, which, in turn, came from even more ancient Roman legions.

There is more cycle all around us: military mandate provides information on a need-to-know-basis only.

What we now know as quantum physics, chaos theory and field theory are all exemplified in the foodservice and hospitality industry, too.

Those three proven by Western science in the last 30 years were hypothesized by the ancients in what was referred to as universal energy and the Gunas.

Amazingly, all of these leadership models make money, create profit and support jobs. All have both positive and negative examples.

A case could be made that at some points in history, one model may be more effective than another, hence the spiraling. For leaders, one thing remains constant in all these cycles: We are left to ourselves, our personal growth and our personal life bias to decide what model each of us uses, what we trust to work and why.

Guidelines For Flight
What's interesting about emergent complexity? Think of the way a flock of birds flies, a school of fish swims or people walk in midtown Manhattan together.

Emergent complexity is both simple and complex. And, if emergent complexity was a management model, it would not include a complex policy manual to control the flock.

So what? How does emergent complexity relate to spiraled models, learning and performance? My sense is that emergent complexity is the essence of a values-driven leadership model.

This is not a high hierarchy model with level after level of cop in control. Instead, it uses simple guiding principles that keep people moving in the right direction, right speed and out of harm's way.

In this case, four values are held:

1. Don't bump into each other.
2. Move into open space.
3. Head in the ultimate direction of travel.
4. If one leader tires, another supports the flock.

Leaders rise as needed in the moment and members are clear of goals, expectations and values.

Goal of Travel
At the same time, a complex process occurs because each participant is fully aware, conscious and mindful at all times of the values. These values truly become guiding principles. Values that could easily be nothing more than a concept show up as conscious action. Because of conscious action, on only rare occurrence is there a mishap.

Amazingly, all this occurs in the ultimate goal of travel. Imagine a chief goose keeping the flock in line. Emergent complexity is not about police action in this case, it is about a principle of the individual supporting the flock. The individual supports the team, the company and the purpose of the company – suddenly the spiral goes deeper.

For a moment, let's back up. How does the brain make this complexity work in what seems so simple a way? “Don't crash into me, find the path of least resistance and keep the young or inexperienced safe,” the mind says.

Fly or Fall Behind
Thanks to MRIs and modern Western science, we now know that each neuron in our brain connects to 10,000 others when a thought occurs. And, there are billions of neurons operating in the normal brain at any given time.

Participants in the flock are driven by simple principles and they perform without policing. Imagine what can happen when those principles are defined and every team member understands the excellence expected by the team? Now it's your choice, fly with the flock or don't. If the choice is to not, then “not to” is a choice. Room is made for another team member. I believe we could spin this model again.

The Decision is Yours
We can create a flocking model for leadership expectation: flocking model for team members, a flocking model for a shift – for our company as a whole. Why not? Mindfulness, consciousness and awareness works.

My bet is that emergent complexity will be the next model we hear about in a big way. By any other name, emergent complexity is all about principles-based, values-based decision-making.

Choose to join us, choose not to, but performance in a values-driven organization is all about choice. Without a leader or a plan, there is chaos. Or is there? Maybe purpose and values can actually self-govern.

Rudy M. Miick, FCSI, president of Miick & Associates, can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  or 720-641-7565.