The butterfly effect, according to Obolensky (2012),
demonstrates that, “ a very small change within a complex system can produce a
very large difference to what would have otherwise happened” (p. 66). This
effect can be observed in many organizations.
My first example does not reference my current employer, but
it is something that I noticed as a trend recently at several different places I
have visited, indicating that the idea is working. Recently, I visited the
Plant City Strawberry Festival here in Florida and noticed that there was an
attendant in the restroom. She was doing several things. I’m sure you have
never personally experienced the line for the women’s restroom but possibly a
companion you had to wait on has. It can be frustrating and time-consuming because
lines are generally long, it is hard to tell if a stall is occupied, some are
out of toilet paper, others are non-operational, and the restroom itself is
usually a mess. The attendant was able to solve many of these problems. She was
able to direct women to open stalls ensuring that the line kept moving, clean
throughout the day to minimize litter, and guarantee that supplies were
restocked as needed. I mentioned this to my husband who said that Daytona
International Speedway had also adopted this policy in their restrooms for the
Daytona 500 and that the difference in cleanliness was amazing. Last week, we
attended a show at our local theater where there were also attendants in the
restrooms. This small change has greatly benefited customers, employees, and
organizations. Customers appreciate a well-maintained and clean restroom.
Employers benefit because people are less likely to do things that cost the
company money, like clog the toilets or steal supplies from the restroom, if
there is an attendant there. For employees, they are able to earn money from
the business as well as taking home tips from appreciative customers.
Another example of the ripple effect (or butterfly effect) within
my organization was the upgrade of EagleVision a couple of weeks ago. When the
vendor, Saba, announced the upgrade, we decided that we would no longer support
the desktop client but instead, would switch to the browser version. This
announcement caused many unexpected results. We have used this upgrade as a
catalyst for making changes to the website, the way we train, and the
documentation. We were able to get rid of outdated and duplicated support
materials. We are also reevaluating the way we train and are looking to make
changes to how we conduct the sessions. Another result of this decision for
training is that we were able to secure funding for a third trainer. Although
it has been a chaotic time, some great ideas and collaborative relationships
have emerged during the process.
In addition to the butterfly effect, I also see connections
to the Buttons and Threads Experiment detailed by Obolensky (2012, p. 79).
Several times, seemingly unrelated conversations suddenly seem to intertwine
creating moments of insight and clarity.
Reference: Obolensky, N. (2012). Complex adaptive
leadership, embracing paradox and uncertainty. Gower Publishing Company.
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