The Illinois Model

The concepts of RulesandCreativityare diametrically related. Whenever an organization enacts a new "rule," a bit of creativity is killed. 
In my roles as a trainer and policy writer for a police department, I continually navigate and map out the treacherous chasm between what we've calledRulesandCreativity environments and functions. For each and every situation, there is a tradeoff betweenrestricting decisions via standardized proceduresandempowering fresh solutions via open creativity. 
This spectrum is anchored at two ends: RULES and CREATIVITY. 
Rulesare for known and predictable environments. Checklists and step-by-step processes ensure efficiency and consistency. (In policing, we have rigid rules governing: uniform standards; scheduling; criminal laws and statutes; evidence collection; traffic crash reports.)
Rules work well with absolute knowledge and highly-specialized technical skills. The static and straightforward nature of Rules environments calls for managers wh…

Today's world is not just complicated; it's complex. Complication, while containing a lot of pieces, still has finite variables and calculable solutions - things like Swiss watches and Ferraris.Complexity, however, is an environment where some of the variables are not only unknown and rapidly changing, but also unknowable and antagonistic.  Complexity, however, is an environment where some of the variables are not only unknown and rapidly changing, but also unknowable and antagonistic.  Are today's leaders prepared to navigate this complexity? Do they have the tools to critically analyze and make decisions off partial (orconflicting!) data sets? Are our schools or training programs giving our leaders the mindset to adapt to the changing landscapes and unpredictable future? Have we adequately articulated whatagilityorflexibilitylook like in our team members or organizations?

I've devoted the last eight years of my career to developing a new crop of leaders - those who int…