The Chaos Complex occurs when the team underuses the Conductor team role.
Healthy use
When used appropriately, the Conductor team role is used to introduce organisation and a logical structure into the way things are done. Conductors organise and systematise the world around them, establishing appropriate plans, identifying and implementing the correct procedures, and then endeavouring to make sure they are followed. They try to ensure that roles and responsibilities are properly defined and that appropriate resources or skills are available to undertake the work assigned.
Insufficient use
If the Conductor team role is used insufficiently, however, and it becomes a 'No-Go-Area' for the team, then they may fail to organise themselves properly, failing to have clear roles and responsibilities, lacking appropriate procedures, and perhaps not matching the best people to individual tasks. The result can be a great deal of inefficiency in the way they work, reinvention of the wheel and duplication of effort. The team may lose focus and meander through their work, failing to coordinate effort or make best use of the skills they have.
The complex is given the name "Chaos" because the work of the team can lose all structure and efficiency.
Solution
Complexes can be very difficult to deal with. See our general page on Complexes for more information.
A good facilitator or consultant can help the team address the Chaos Complex in various ways, such as:
- Introducing processes into the way the team interacts and makes decisions, and having measures for the adherence to or success of those processes
- Clarifying roles, responsibilities and methods of working, and ensuring the organisational structure is efficient and makes best use of the skills available
- Making the team accountable to each other and someone outside the team for their level of efficiency
Psychology Footnote
The Chaos Complex results from the team's rigidity in their avoidance of extraverted Thinking.
See all sixteen team complexes.
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