A632.8.3.RB – Reflections on the Cynefin Framework
The Cynefin Framework has four different domains that warrant a different course of actions. Simple and complicated contexts presuppose a universe that is in order where cause-and-effect relationships are sensible, and the correct answer or choice can be resolved based on the facts. Then there are the complex and chaotic contexts where cause-and-effect have no apparent relationship, they are unordered, and the future is determined ascertained based on the emergence of patterns. The unordered world is represented by pattern-based management while the ordered world is the fact-based management world (Snowden & Boone, 2007).
Back when I was the Title IX Coordinator and Assistant Director of HR at one of the local universities in Daytona Beach, Florida, I received a call from our Dean of Students and Safety and Security Director in the middle of the night regarding an alleged raped claim from one of our sophomore female students. The female student who was 23 years old and resides on campus, came home crying and claimed that she has been violated by her boyfriend who was leaving off-campus to her Residence Life Coordinator. The university’s SOP on this type of claim was to make sure that the incident has to be reported and investigated by the Safety and Security Department regardless if the incident happened on or off campus. In collaboration with the Dean of Students and Director of Safety and Security, we instructed the Residence Life Coordinator to contact Safety & Security and have an officer come to the Residence Hall and take the alleged female victim’s statement (simple context). Due to time, we instructed the female student that first thing in the morning, she needs to file a police report the very first thing in the morning. The female student declined or refused to do due to the embarrassment effect on her profile on campus. Upon the student’s refusal to file an official police report, I sanctioned a meeting between the Dean of Student, Director of Safety and Security, and me to discuss next step to appropriately investigate and find closure to this case (complicated context).
By six o’clock the following morning, I was notified by the Director of Campus Security that the parents of the female students were on their way to campus and approximate time of arrival is at 8:00 am. I asked that the Dean of Students, the Director of Safety and Security, Residence Life Coordinator, the Safety Officer who made initial the initial interview and I meet before the parents’ arrival to get an update on the female students’ current state of mind and review the interview notes. During the meeting locating the male student’s location was a priority. Under Title IX, all students’ rights need to respected regardless if they are the accused or the accuser. Immediately, we contacted the Registrar’s Office to get the alleged abuser’s class schedule. We assessed the need for pulling the male student out of his classes and if there is a need to sanction him with suspension until further notice. During the meeting, we were advised that the parents picked up the female student and drove to the nearest police station to file a police report about the incident. With said news, we then have to re-assess our decision-making of pulling out the student from class and possible sanction of suspension. The police investigation has to take precedence, and the University cannot intercede (complex context).
Our Director of Safety and Security who was a former police chief officer received an update the local police department that the accuser refused to file charges. As a Title IX Coordinator, I recommended implementing an investigative process lead by the Director of Safety and Security. The Dean of Students and I sat down with the parents and the female students, ensuring them that a thorough investigation and hearing will be in place. The parents and the student requested that the male student or the accused be not allowed to be in the same class with the alleged victim. We wrote a letter to the male student issuing a “no contact order” between him and the female student (simple & complicated).
Cynefin Framework does not only assist leaders in identifying the context that they are currently working on, but it is also a framework that changes the leader’s behavior and decision making to mirror the context. Cynefin encourages management to engage the organizational expertise of diverse domains to provide expert viewpoints so as to ensure the emergence of appropriate decisions or resolutions. In a complex context, cause and effect do not directly connect, and a potential existence of disheveled coherence may exist. By researching for patterns that may be formulated within the sharing of innovative ideas, understanding that there all outlined ideas have its own validity and benefits thus may be useful for a conflict resolution. The framework helps leaders to avoid cognitive bias that arises from utilizing traditional measures to arrive at a resolution or decision. There are times as leaders, we can best achieve our goals indirectly. A cynefin framework is an approach that we can use in addressing the uncertainties we face, and help us to realize that we cannot always predict the future or the outcomes, but it is a means to control perhaps the future.
Reference:
Snowden, D.J. & Boone, M.E. (2007). A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making. Retrieved
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