Reality—real life—is complex, more complex than has been imagined or can be imagined. The majority of our pressing challenges or issues of concern are overwhelmingly complex in overwhelmingly complex environments and contexts. People are more complex than appreciated or understood. Complexity is the essence of being human, of life, of existence. When there isn’t the competency or ability to deal with complex situations, they are referred to as being too complicated and ‘wicked’ — e.g., ‘wicked problems’. But the perceived ‘wicked’ quality of a situation is actually a reflection of a change agent's inability to engage successfully with the complex situation at hand. As Annis Nin observed, “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Unfortunately, the characterization of a situation as wicked rather than the competency of a change agent to successfully engage with complexity short-circuits the selection of appropriate methods of inquiry, replacing them with more ...
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