One of the counter-intuitive rules in complexity is: Pay attention to now. Most of us are taught that leadership is about forward planning to try to predict and control what the future brings, which can be a massive waste of time -- or worse -- in a fast-moving and unpredictable world. As leaders align on their five-year-plans, an unknown start-up might be about to skim off their core business, or a sharp change in interest rates might reshape all the assumptions about financing investments.  Complexity requires that we pay attention to the current state of the system, and we look for bright spots (where is the system already going in the direction we want it to go) and weak signals about what the future might be delivering to us. Making use of the collective now can be the difference between success and failure in an unpredictable world.  Click here to find out three ways to make use of the collective now today. 

Quote of the week: "We can build an awareness of what we don't know about the future into our approach to the world by crafting methods to react quickly to change rather than trying to predict it. Ambiguity doesn't have to be paralyzing or distasteful. Under the right conditions...embracing uncertainty can in fact provide opportunities to innovate. It can inspire creative solutions, and might even help make us better people." 

Jamie Holmes,  Nonsense

Our books are emerging new forms as well! Look for Simple Habits out in paperback and for Changing on the Job to come out in Chinese (thank you to translator and champion Joey Chan)! Want to be in the draw to win next time? Write us a new amazon.com review for either of our books and let Diana know--she'll draw a name out of a metaphorical hat before July.