Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval Into Opportunity

Citation

Hughes, L. (2012), "Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval Into Opportunity", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 105-106. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437731211193142

In Engaging Emergence, Peggy Holman shares with the reader the enlightenment of a journey that first found audience (Holman et al., 2001). The concept of emergence and its various methodologies outstripped subsequent attempts to develop a “how to” approach to change management. Therefore Holman began to study the origins of change, which, today, requires an explanation of emergence.

The book is a helpful introduction to the lay researcher regarding the concept of emergence. Emergence, as a topic, has grown in study over the past decade and is commonly applied to technology, culture, etc. For the reader well versed in complexity theory and the emergence of order and/or phenomenon, this book is somewhat remedial. Yet it serves as a useful tool for those interested in emergence, but without inundation of hard science that often accompanies emergent phenomenon. Another key contribution is Holman's adeptness at offering the reader an opportunity to synthesize through reflection and application. The application piece is an important contribution and is introduced in each chapter via a series of tips to the reader. The tips are concise and unencumbered by context, which is very helpful to some in their application of concepts.

Holman's work is organized into four parts that house the 15 chapters of the book. This information is bracketed by an introduction and a summary of key ideas. The book has a useful glossary containing terminology specific to the genre of emergence; a thorough index, and a master bibliography, as well as references listed at the close of each chapter.

Part I of the book opens with an accessible yet thorough introduction to emergence and what it is and how it is characterized. In Chapters 1 and 2 important distinctions are made between strong and weak emergent behavior and phenomenon. Interestingly, the first half of the book (Part II, Chapters 3‐7) broaches the concept of engagement, or how does one take something to heart. This approach makes an otherwise complex topic friendly, interesting and relevant. Thus the book's content aligns with its title: Engaging Emergence. The reader first learns how to engage and then how to engage emergence. In each of the rules of emergence posited by Holman, the story never ends with the disruptive event itself, the event that opens the possibility of an emergent phenomenon be it an idea or a technology. The next five chapters are dedicated to managing and leveraging emergence. Once the reader understands how to recognize an opportunity in the face of disruption she or he can then learn to harness its often innovative by‐products. The fourth part (Chapters 13‐15) address several key questions about harnessing the power of disruption and emergence and take a decidedly human tack in that emergence should be leveraged responsibly and not solely to ensure transactional organizational outcomes.

Another strength of Engaging Emergence is that that book is less about monumental disruption than it is about the influence of daily disruption and how emergence can occur very effectively on the micro level. In this regard Holman makes a unique and somewhat groundbreaking contribution. While other authors tackle catastrophic change catalysts such as Enron for ethics and the Internet for social change, Holman grounds her readers by reminding us that a disruptive event leading to emergent change may stem from a comment made during a weekly meeting or a side‐bar conversation around the office coffee pot.

This book is a useful read for any level of interest in how “things happen” and how seeming threats faced by people and organizations might instead be seen as opportunities provided that the disruption is recognized and the rules for engaging emergence are understood. Holman's work does not challenge on a scientific level, but as a practical approach to understanding and leveraging emergence it is a welcome addition to the body of knowledge.