Cells in a complex adaptive system: Resilience begins with you

There is a lot of literature and discussion about resilient organisations, resilient cities and resilient communities. We know that there is a diversity of opinion and evidence based research that sets the scene for what resilience looks like in an organisation, city or community. 

100 Resilience Cities, Pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation, defines resilience as “the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience.”

I am not associated with the Rockerfeller Foundation but if interested, you can explore the 100 Resilient Cities page here. There is some exciting work going on to put the problem of defining resilience in the hands of the global community. What it highlights is that much like security, sustainability and risk, resilience looks different the world over and will depend on the context, culture and forces or pressures that exist in a given organisation or community.

The 100 Resilient Cities Project, be it by design or circumstance gives a voice to the people to not only define what resilience is in a societal context but also to build resilience through shared experience, communication and case studies. 

 

I have been involved in resilience in one form or another for over 15 years now and while, metrics and indicators become more of a science and practice and less academic in this space, there is one common thread. Resilience in an organisational and community context is dependent on people.

People, like cells in a complex system make up the interdependent parts of the adaptive organisation or community. Different cells have a different purpose but they must work together to provide a functioning organism that can adapt to and overcome stressors such as shocks and turbulence. In the case of an organization those forces will tip the organisation one way or another – towards failure or success.

This is why I really like the idea of a crowd-sourced body of knowledge for resilience. Organisations and communities are connected, complex and adaptive the world over. Success or failure often sits with the people working together as a system.  Resilience starts with you but it does not end there in our highly connected world.