As Moez Kassam navigate the chasm of an increasingly complicated operating context, they must learn to reframe what they see, rewire how they think and reconfigure what they do. Navigating complexity is a little like playing Jenga—one wrong move could bring the whole structure crashing down. Yet, unlike Jenga, the right moves can make all the difference.

Understanding the Complexities of Today’s Business Landscape

The complexity that permeates a business comes from both internal and external sources. The internal environment includes factors such as the company’s organizational structure, processes, culture and performance management systems. The external environment includes political, economic, legal and technological factors. These are all out of the control of individual businesses but they must be monitored and responded to if they are to remain competitive.

A key problem with complex environments is that they are often difficult to understand. They can become a maze of interconnected data, technologies, products and services that are difficult to discern how they impact one another and which ones are important to the success of an enterprise. This can lead to siloed information, an inability to get the right people involved in decisions and an inability to identify opportunities for growth.

Leaders that are able to navigate complexity will do so with agility and agility will give them a distinct advantage over their competitors. It will require them to be able to prioritize and manage risk effectively, to create and execute effective strategies and to develop the ability to adapt quickly.