E6: The Six Types of Complexity and how to Manage Them

05/06/2025 22 min Temporada 2 Episodio 6
E6: The Six Types of Complexity and how to Manage Them

Listen "E6: The Six Types of Complexity and how to Manage Them"

Episode Synopsis

In this episode we offer a practical overview of the six distinct forms of complexity that organisations face: technical, process, structural, organisational, people, and power. Drawing on systems thinking, Martin explores how each type demands a different approach—ranging from optimisation and workflow redesign to cultural insight and addressing power dynamics. The episode unpacks relevant tools like Soft Systems Methodology, the Viable System Model, and Critical Systems Heuristics, highlighting how practitioners can tailor interventions to the nature of the complexity at hand. This episode is an essential guide for anyone navigating transformation in today’s complex organisational environments.