Knowledge complexity and the complexity of knowledge

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International was founded on the conviction that knowledge, learning and service are essential ingredients to professional growth, development, satisfaction and well-being. Knowledge supercedes data, evidence and information. Data leads to information, information is transformed into knowledge, and making meaning of that knowledge leads to development of philosophy and wisdom. Hopefully, wisdom supports sustainability and the greater good. My ideas about knowledge complexity and the complexity of knowledge have been greatly influenced by the work of Verna Allee.

Verna Allee has skillfully integrated all of these dimensions about knowledge into what she calls the Knowledge Complexity Archetype/Framework. I enjoy exploring Allee’s Knowledge Management Library. Her masterful synthesis of a variety of models and theories enables one to appreicate how knowledge and learning modes are connected to action and performance. I think the knowledge complexity archetype expands and deepens our notions about knowledge, learning and, ultimately, service. I am not sure the founders of the honor society fully realized the depth and breadth of their vision when they dedicated themselves to knowledge, learning and service as fundamental values for the community they intended to create.

Each of the dimensions or levels in Allee’s Knowledge Complexity Archetype requires a different mode of learning and has a different action and performance focus, as well as a variable time perspective. For example, data gathering requires instinctual sensing and learning with moment-to-moment attention and awareness. Information requires attention to single-loop learning and involves procedural adherence. Double-loop learning is required for doing things the best way because self-conscious reflection is required. Beyond knowledge, meaning-making becomes important in the context of relationships and trends, so communal learning is fostered. Communal learning fosters self-organization and development of philosophies that support pattern recognition, creativity and generative learning in service of a greater sense of community.

Perhaps, you are curious enough to study the Knowledge Complexity Framework Easy Reference Chart. As you do, ask yourself the following questions:

Where on the knowledge complexity archetype do I spend most of my time and attention?
What learning mode is most comfortable for me?
Do I spend time gathering information and conforming to standards trying to do something in the most efficient way or am I wanting to do it the best way?
How do I understand what promotes or impedes effectiveness?
Do I generally see where an activity fits into the whole picture?
How does my learning influence my sense of integrity and purpose management?
When do I take time to reflect and consider all the complexities of knowledge in the greater contexts of universal understandings?

I think the knowledge complexity archetype is a useful tool for reflecting on how best we engage in practice, education and research, and how each of these contexts can benefit from a deeper understanding of the complexity of knowledge. I am very grateful to Verna Allee for expanding my understanding and challenging me to think about all of these complexities.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Courage, conflict engagement and communities of practice

I love think-tank invitations. Recently, I was invited to participate in an emerging community of practice around conflict engagement in health care. The sponsoring organization is Emerging Health Care Communities (EHCCO). Besides the fact that there were many diverse and interesting people engaged in this three-day event, I was impressed that the conveners invited Etienne Wegner to introduce the group to the idea of a community of practice.

Nurses have been tacitly using and developing communities of practice around specific issues for some time. Making the principles and practices of cultivating a community of practice more explicit enables the evolution of new ideas and promotes mastery of understanding social learning, identity, belonging, relationships and the value of community in advancing learning, growth, change and new knowledge.

Perhaps, you are interested in developing a community of practice around an issue you are passionate about. Cultivating communities of practice requires attention to open dialogue, different levels of participation and diversity of thought, opinions and ideas, as well as commitment to the community that is evolving.

A highlight of the event for me was an award ceremony where my good friend and colleague Phyllis Kritek was recognized for her work in conflict engagement. It takes courage to engage and stay with the conflict resolution process. It also takes attention to communication and conflict resolution skills that can be used in any context. Phyllis blogs for a group known as Disruptive Women in Health Care. Perhaps, some of the posts and issues raised in the Disruptive Women in Health Care forum will give you the courage to engage in conflict resolution around issues that matter to you and the nursing profession at large.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

2010 International Year of the Nurse

Are you keen on making New Year’s resolutions? I suspect most of us think of personal resolutions, and then some of us think of professional resolutions. One of my professional resolutions is to promote 2010 as the International Year of the Nurse. This is the centennial year of Florence Nightingale’s death (1820-1910).

To commemorate and honor Ms. Nightingale and her contributions to modern nursing, the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health and the Florence Nightingale Museum in London have collaborated in creating a campaign to increase public awareness of the impact, influence and leadership nurses bring to health initiatives around the world. The campaign builds on the United Nations Millenium Development Goals.

Become involved in this effort by signing the Nightingale Declaration. Consider contributing and sharing stories related to the work that you do! Encourage your friends and colleagues to visit www.2010IYNurse.net and participate in the yearlong celebration. Create celebrations and other activities in your hometown and add them to the calendar of events! I hope to attend the Commemorative Global Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. on 25 April 2010. This is one of my professional New Year’s resolutions that will last all year long!

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Complexity and nursing

A few years ago, I became intrigued with the application of complexity science principles to issues of health care and nursing. My curiosity was fueled after reading some of the Institute of Medicine’s Quality Series reports. Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century was of most interest. More importantly, one of the appendices of that book, authored by Paul Plsek, argued that the only hope of redesigning a 21st-century health care system rested in our understanding and application of complex adaptive systems science and principles to help augment our understanding of systems thinking and relationships of control, chaos and zones of complexity.

Since that time, I have joined a community of professionals who are dedicated to the application of complexity-inspired solutions to wicked, complex problems. The mission of the Plexus Institute is to “foster the health of individuals, families, communities and our natural environment by helping people use concepts emerging from the new science of complexity.” Over time, I have been committed to and involved in the Plexus Nursing Learning Network. You may want to explore the Plexus Web site and learn the Plexus story.

If you are new to complexity, explore and evaluate the resources available to you. Consider inviting some colleagues to discuss and evaluate ways to master complexity in action. More specifically, consider how you and a group of interested folks could begin to replicate some of the work being done by nursing colleagues around the globe. Also, consider how liberating structures and positive deviance are useful strategies and tools that will help you design a complexity science-inspired 21st-century health care system that makes a difference in nursing care.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Dialogical leadership for global challenges

As you engage in dialogue with others, do you find yourself defending or suspending? William Isaacs explains that human conversation evolves in two potential directions: defending or suspending. “Defending” conversations use facts and data to answer problems and employ explicit reasoning. They often lead to controlled discussions in which advocacy and abstract verbal brawling devolve into competition, debate and down beating. By contrast, “suspending” is a more conscious and choiceful state of listening without resistance. Suspending conversations may lead to reflective dialogue, and reflective dialogue frequently leads to generative dialogue that is creative and inventive, and which produces new insights, unprecedented possibilities and group flow.

There is a need for greater reflective dialogue among all of us as we navigate the complexity of our personal and professional lives and the global challenges that confront us. Dialogue has a rich history, and there are many ways to conduct a dialogue session.

Isaacs identifies four dialogue types: movers, followers, opposers and bystanders. Movers provide direction. Followers support completion and follow through, based on the suggestions and leadership of movers. Opposers oftentimes confront or block movers’ suggestions and support correction of courses of action. Bystanders provide perspective as they look at situations from the “outside-in.” All of these types, in a proper dialogue, move through states of voicing, listening, respecting and suspending.

Voicing is the process that asks, “What needs to be said?” Voicing entails speaking the truth of one’s own authority and thinking. Listening is the process that asks, without resistance or imposition, “How does this feel?” Respecting is the process of asking, “How does this fit?” It requires awareness of the integrity of another’s position and the impossibility of fully understanding his or her perspective. Suspending is the process of asking, “How does this work?” and is the suspension of judgment, certainty and assumptions. Progression through each of these states is a valuable learning experience for members of an interdisciplinary team.

What is your dialogical leadership style? Are you often in defending or suspending mode? What is your preferred role? Are you a mover, follower, opposer or bystander? Dialogical leadership skills are essential to success, given the debate that is being waged in terms of health care reform in this country and around the world. Consider exploring some resources that will support dialogical approaches to global challenges.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International

Next tech-generation leaders

I learned an interesting statistic while at the 40th Biennial Convention of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI). Forty-five percent of the members of the honor society are now under the age of 50! What this means to me is that there will be next-generation leaders to guide and navigate STTI into the future. What also fascinated and intrigued me was that some of the younger members of the honor society will clearly be next-generation leaders who are also technology-generation leaders.

Take, for example, Robert Fraser. He is a registered nurse±a graduate student—from Canada who has an amazing Web site called Nursing Ideas. I had the opportunity to chat with Robert at the convention. He is passionate about nursing and technology. He was actively roaming and scanning the convention—back pack over one shoulder and tripod grasped in his right hand. He tried to capture as many nurse leaders as he could and get their ideas on nursing leadership. It was amazing to me how passionate he is about using technology to inspire, connect and help create nursing-knowledge networks.

For example, he recorded his own presentation at the convention, in which he challenged all of us to use the technology that is available to advance knowledge sharing and community building in nursing. Next tech-generation leaders, like Fraser, are using the vehicles of social media to link and expand connections while simultaneously supporting aggregation of knowledge, development of skills and the spirit of connection among nurses around the world.

I suspect there may be a young person with whom you work who is up on the technology and social-media trends emerging in your organization? If so, I believe we all can learn a great deal from these emerging leaders. Through the magic of dialogue, each of us can engage in transformational learning. Find the next tech-generation leaders in your organization and ask them what they are up to. What you learn may surprise, delight and fascinate you.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Paths to global health

The 40th Biennial Convention of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) was exciting, full of challenges and celebrations! Several things captured my attention, and I want to invite action by sharing some reflections and resources with you.

First, I admire and appreciate the fact that the House of Delegates voted in favor of a resolution to support the United Nations Millenium Goals. I first learned of the Millenium Project when I became interested in future studies. Nurses are ideal leaders and can exert influence in millenium goal achievement. In fact, with regard to research methods and health, several resources are available to support teaching and learning about the millenium goals.

What is most exciting is President Karen Morin’s call to action: Connecting through knowledge for global health. When you combine and cross-reference the 2009-11 presidential call to action with the Millenium Project, you realize that nurses can and do make a difference on a global scale.

Another exciting development is the honor society’s intention to seek associative status with the United Nations, another resolution that was approved by the House of Delegates. Past President Carol Huston notes that we should hear about the status of our application in December. Stay tuned!

Once STTI becomes recognized and actively engaged in more UN activities, the influence of nursing leadership will contribute even more to global health. How will you learn more about the millenium goals and decide what role you will play in supporting achieving achievement of those goals?

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.