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In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, host Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview author and consultant Karl Sakas ("Say Kiss”). Karl's clients often call him their “agency therapist.” They discuss the challenges agency owners face, including misconceptions about agency ownership, pricing strategies, and the importance of understanding market rates. Karl shares insights on productizing services, revenue growth, and how to escape the daily grind of agency ownership. The conversation emphasizes the need for agency owners to work smarter, not harder, and to focus on their strengths while delegating tasks effectively. They also delve into various aspects of running an agency, including the challenges of client strategy and sales, the importance of visualizing the future of the agency, understanding cultural differences in business practices, and the multifaceted nature of performance in leadership. Karl's latest book, Work Less, Earn More - https://amzn.to/41n4jvn Sakas and Company - https://sakasandcompany.com/ Karl's upcoming book, Calm the Chos: 10 Ways to Run a Better Agency - https://calmthechaos.xyz/ Recommended book - Overcoming Underearning: A Five-Step Plan to a Richer Life by Barbara Stanny - https://amzn.to/4i5bptK Recommended book - Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It Hardcover by by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik - https://amzn.to/3X2WdoY Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California - https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference Listen/Subscribe to the audio version of this podcast on your preferred platform - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign
Das Thema der heutigen Episode ist Kopplung in der Produktion moderner Produkte. Von Entkopplung und Arbeitsteilung, Commodities über erneute Kopplung durch Effizienzmaßnahmen, Schichten immer komplizierterer und komplexerer Produkte und Dienstleistungen bis hin zu systemischen Rückkopplungsphänomenen. Diese Episode ist wieder ein Vorschlag zur Diskussion, sie ist nicht in allen Details ausgearbeitet und fordert Widerspruch und Ergänzung heraus. Schreiben Sie mir! Vergessen Sie auch nicht die Live-Podcast-Aufnahmen im Juni im Museumsquartier in Wien: tolle Gäste, herausragendes Ambiente. Die Gespräche starten ab 19:00 auf der Bühne im Haupthof des MQ (bei Schlechtwetter im Saal). Eintritt ist frei. Ich freue mich sehr darauf Sie bei der Veranstaltung zu sehen und auch über die Themen diskutieren zu können. Die Einladung gerne mit Freunden, Kollegen, Verwandten teilen! Summerstage-Kalender: https://www.mqw.at/sommerbuehne 6. Juni: Philipp Blom: Wissen https://www.mqw.at/programm/gespraech-zukunft-denken-teil-1-wissen 13. Juni: John Haas: Macht und Ohnmacht https://www.mqw.at/programm/gespraech-zukunft-denken-teil-2-macht 20. Juni: Daphne Hruby: Verantwortung https://www.mqw.at/programm/gespraech-zukunft-denken-teil-3-verantwortung Referenzen Andere Episoden Episode 94: Systemisches Denken und gesellschaftliche Verwundbarkeit, ein Gespräch mit Herbert Saurugg Episode 90: Unintended Consequences (Unerwartete Folgen) Episode 80: Wissen, Expertise und Prognose, eine Reflexion Episode 76: Existentielle Risiken Episode 69: Complexity in Software Episode 55: Strukturen der Welt Episode 31: Software in der modernen Gesellschaft – Gespräch mit Tom Konrad Episode 27: Wicked Problems Fachliche Referenzen Leonard E. Read, I, Pencil (1958) Matt Ridley, When Ideas have Sex, TED (2010) Chris Clearfield, András Tilcsik, Meltdown, Atlantic Books (2018)
In this special bonus episode of CLOC Talk, guest host, Adam Becker, CLOC Board member and Director of Legal Operations at Cockroach Labs, does a deep dive with Chris Clearfield, an organizational dynamics visionary. Chris is renowned for helping leaders navigate complexity within their organizations. His work as a coach, consultant, and co-founder of the Clearfield Group underscores his profound understanding of how technical and relational intricacies converge to create unique challenges for industry leaders.From plane crashes to oil spills and beyond, Chris's insights into smart collaborative problem-solving illuminate paths to success.You can learn more about Chris at his website: www.clearfieldgroup.com
In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary O'Carroll sits down with Chris Clearfield, a true trailblazer in the world of leadership and management. As the CEO of Clearfield Group and the co-author of “Meltdown,” Chris brings a fresh take on how to lead through the chaos and complexity of today's business landscape. Change Leadership, Not Management: Mary and Chris dig into why “change management” just doesn't cut it. Chris suggests we need to shift our focus to “change leadership” - guiding people through the unknown, tackling fear head-on, building trust, and creating a space where ideas can flow freely. The Legal Industry's Slow Dance with Change: The conversation takes a turn towards the legal sector's sluggish pace when it comes to adapting to change. Mary sheds light on the crucial role of legal operations and why professionals need to step up and become strategic leaders. Beyond the Business Case: Chris challenges the conventional wisdom of relying solely on data to drive change. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, listening, and really engaging with people to understand their concerns and aspirations. A Blueprint for Change: The duo dives into Chris's model for leading change, from recognizing the challenge to achieving and moving beyond the desired outcomes. They discuss how resistance is inevitable and why it's smart to focus on those who are on the fence about change rather than the die-hard resistors. Cultivating Willingness: Mary and Chris explore the power of starting small, with willing groups, to spark change across an organization. They share inspiring stories of how small beginnings can lead to big transformations, creating a ripple effect of engagement and acceptance. This episode is a gold mine for leaders, change-makers, and anyone looking to navigate the choppy waters of transformation with grace and impact.Connect with Us: Follow Mary on LinkedIn Follow Ironclad on LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Catch us on TikTok If you liked this episode, we'd be grateful for your Review on Apple Podcasts! linkedin.com Mary O'Carroll - Ironclad, Inc. | LinkedIn Please reach out if I can be helpful at all. I love to provide (free!) advice on scaling… · Experience: Ironclad, Inc. · Location: San Francisco Bay Area · 500+ connections on LinkedIn. View Mary O'Carroll's profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members. linkedin.com Ironclad | LinkedIn Ironclad | 26,262 followers on LinkedIn. Ironclad is the smart way to make and manage digital business contracts. Now powered by Ironclad AI. | Digitize your contracts with Ironclad, the world's #1 Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform. Ironclad is the simple, secure way to create and collaborate on contracts, giving users an all-in-one, AI-powered experience.Every company runs on contracts, but managing these contracts slows companies down and costs them millions of dollars. YouTube Ironclad CLM Software Ironclad is the digital contract platform loved by modern business teams.Contracts are business decisions trapped in administrative tasks. Ironclad is software that does all the administrative work better left for a computer, freeing teams -- legal, sales, procurement, finance, HR, etc -- to do substantive work and drive business strategy.We believe contracts should be business assets. Some document management vendors focus on contracts as risk assets: documents that, when poorly managed, expose companies to significant, surprising risks. While not knowing what's in your contracts can certainly be dangerous, we prefer to focus on the valuable intelligence you can extract from them to drive… Show more Apple Podcasts Pearls On, Gloves Off - Legal Operations, Contracting, Change Management, and Career Growth on Apple Podcasts
Thank you to Chris who joins us for a second time on Rebranding Safety. Chris is an award-winning author and co-founder of Clearfield Group, guiding leaders through change and complexity. We catch up on the last 2 years and the landscape of complexity since his book 'Meltdown', co-authored by Andras Tilcsik, was released in 2018. We discuss leadership and 'the power of not knowing', implementing a culture and how it changes over time, being open and real about the levels of engagement and participation you're willing or able to take on, and the power of story telling. Enjoy, my fellow risk nerds..... (as coined by Chris!)
Chapter 1 What is the Book Meltdown"Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It" is a book written by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik. It explores the reasons behind system failures in various domains, ranging from finance and healthcare to technology and transportation. The book delves into the concept of complexity and how it can lead to unexpected and catastrophic failures. The authors examine real-life examples of major incidents and disasters to uncover patterns and commonalities that contribute to these failures. They highlight the role of human error, organizational culture, inadequate systems design, and unforeseen interactions among complex components. Through their analysis, Clearfield and Tilcsik propose strategies and solutions for improving system resilience and reducing the likelihood of future failures. They emphasize the importance of embracing diversity, creating feedback loops, fostering transparency, and promoting a healthy culture of learning from mistakes. Overall, "Meltdown" offers insights into systemic risks and provides valuable lessons for individuals and organizations seeking to understand and mitigate the potential for failures in complex systems.Chapter 2 Why is Meltdown A Good BookAccording to reddit comments on Meltdown, "Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It" is considered a good book for several reasons: 1. Insightful analysis: The book offers a deep exploration of why complex systems fail, drawing from real-life case studies across various industries such as aviation, finance, healthcare, and technology. It provides valuable insights into the underlying causes of system failures, ranging from human error to organizational issues. 2. Accessible to non-experts: Despite delving into complex concepts, the author, Chris Clearfield, and co-author, András Tilcsik, present the material in a clear and engaging manner. They use relatable examples that help readers understand how these failures can occur in their everyday lives, making the book accessible even to those without technical backgrounds. 3. Interdisciplinary approach: "Meltdown" draws on research from different fields, including cognitive psychology, engineering, and sociology, to provide a holistic understanding of system failures. This interdisciplinary approach enriches readers' comprehension of the subject matter by presenting diverse perspectives and contributing to a more comprehensive analysis. 4. Practical solutions: In addition to dissecting the causes of system failures, the book also offers practical strategies and recommendations to prevent such failures in the future. These actionable insights are valuable for individuals, organizations, and policymakers seeking to mitigate risks and improve the reliability of their systems. 5. Relevance to a wide audience: The concepts explored in "Meltdown" extend beyond specific industries or professions. Whether you work in engineering, management, finance, or any other field where systems and processes are involved, this book provides relevant and thought-provoking content that can broaden your perspective and prompt critical thinking about system reliability. Overall, "Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It" is highly regarded for its comprehensive analysis, accessibility,...
2:32 | The gun debate in Canada rages on as the federal government looks to pass C-21 - its "gun control" bill. It's especially front of mind today, December 6th, the 33rd anniversary of the Montreal Massacre at École Polytechnique. Ryan follows up on yesterday's comments, and sets up Thursday's interview with Dr. Lise Gotell. 14:27 | Canada will play host to COP15 - the UN conference on biodiversity - starting tomorrow. Tom Lynch Staunton, a cattleman and conservationist, gives us his assessment of Canada's biggest biodiversity challenges, and some of the wins (naturally, politically, and otherwise). CHECK OUT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF CANADA: https://natureconservancy.ca/en/ 41:35 | What a disaster this FTX situation is. Billions of dollars vaporized, as Sam Bankman-Fried's crypto exchange collapsed just ahead of an expected merger. Chris Clearfield, a Harvard grad and author of the popular book "MELTDOWN," explains what all of us (crypto enthusiasts and critics alike) can and should take away from this cautionary tale. READ CHRIS' OP/ED IN THE GLOBE & MAIL: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-ftx-crypto-crisis-is-like-a-plane-crash-and-a-ponzi-there-is-a-lot-we/ CHECK OUT CHRIS' COACHING: https://www.clearfieldgroup.com/ 1:00:43 | Ever missed the boat big time on an investment? Ever tried to play catch-up, and got double-burned? Ryan laments a "woulda, coulda, shoulda" scenario involving early Aurora Cannabis stock. 1:05:46 | The eyes of the world are on soccer (sorry, football) as the FIFA World Cup continues. This week's edition of The Leading Edge celebrates a new invention making The Beautiful Game more accessible for visually-impaired fans. #TheLeadingEdge is presented Tuesdays on Real Talk by Leading Edge Physiotherapy. LIFE SHOULDN'T HURT: https://leadingedgephysio.com/ HEADS UP: Registration is open for the Real Talk Pond Hockey Classic on Saturday, February 4, 2023! Click here for details on how to play, volunteer, or sponsor this amazing annual event: https://ryanjespersen.com/pond-hockey EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.
In this episode I read an excerpt from my new book How Minds Change, and Chris Clearfield interviews me about that very same book. Link to learn more about How Minds Change: www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome Link to learn more about Deep Canvassing: www.newconvo.org Link to my new newsletter: davidmcraney.substack.com/subscribe Link to Chris Clearfield's handout: www.chrisclearfield.com/change Patreon: http://patreon.com/youarenotsosmart See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Chris Clearfield, a coaching consultant, speaker, and co-author of “Meltdown: Why our systems fail and what we can do about it”.Chris studies disasters, and his research into systems failure provides many valuable lessons for EHS professionals who rely on systems every day to maintain safety.He explains how understanding system complexity and coupling (the amount of slack) can help HSE professionals keep their safety systems out of “the danger zone” and prevent accidents.Also, he highlights how improving systems - so they provide more feedback - is key to making better safety decisions.Using real-life disasters such as Deepwater Horizon, Chris provides lots of practical advice on implementing HSE change and creating more curious, experiential and inclusive safety cultures.To find out more about Chris' work, visit:https://www.chrisclearfield.com/Chris Clearfield on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisclearfield/Chris' book, “Meltdown: Why our systems fail and what we can do about it” - Financial Times' best business book of the year, 2018:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meltdown-Systems-Fail-What-About/dp/1786492245
Emily, John and David discuss Donald Trump's attempts to seize voting machines, the racist attacks on the yet-to-be-named SCOTUS nominee, and they are joined by Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health, to discuss ways we might update U.S. COVID norms. Here are some notes and references from this week's show: Joseph G. Allen for The Washington Post: “Our Playbook to Fight Covid-19 Is Outdated. Here Are 10 Updates for 2022.” Joseph G. Allen and Celine R. Gounder for The Hill: “We Have a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Fix Our Crumbling Schools” Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, by Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber Adam Serwer for The Atlantic: “Republicans Seem to Think Putting a Black Woman on the Supreme Court Is the Real Racism” Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach Us About How to Succeed at Work and at Home, by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik Here's this week's chatter: Emily: Kristin Toussaint for Fast Company: “How Do Workers Take on a National Chain Like Starbucks? One Store at a Time”; Noam Scheiber for The New York Times: “Taking On Starbucks, Inspired by Bernie Sanders” John: Adam Gopnik for The New Yorker: “Molière to the Panthéon!”; History, Art and Archives: United States House of Representatives: Representative Clement Vallandigham of Ohio David: Neil Vigdor for the New York Times: “A Teenager Tracked Elon Musk's Jet on Twitter. Then Came the Direct Message.” Listener chatter from Erin Arizzi-Shores: The Double Shift: “The Check's Not In The Mail” More listener chatter from Larry Williams: Barbara J. King for NPR: “Watch The Moment A Dying Chimpanzee Recognizes An Old Friend”; Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves, by Frans De Waal. For this week's Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David offer advice about how to establish a work/life balance. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Emily, John and David discuss Donald Trump's attempts to seize voting machines, the racist attacks on the yet-to-be-named SCOTUS nominee, and they are joined by Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health, to discuss ways we might update U.S. COVID norms. Here are some notes and references from this week's show: Joseph G. Allen for The Washington Post: “Our Playbook to Fight Covid-19 Is Outdated. Here Are 10 Updates for 2022.” Joseph G. Allen and Celine R. Gounder for The Hill: “We Have a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Fix Our Crumbling Schools” Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, by Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber Adam Serwer for The Atlantic: “Republicans Seem to Think Putting a Black Woman on the Supreme Court Is the Real Racism” Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach Us About How to Succeed at Work and at Home, by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik Here's this week's chatter: Emily: Kristin Toussaint for Fast Company: “How Do Workers Take on a National Chain Like Starbucks? One Store at a Time”; Noam Scheiber for The New York Times: “Taking On Starbucks, Inspired by Bernie Sanders” John: Adam Gopnik for The New Yorker: “Molière to the Panthéon!”; History, Art and Archives: United States House of Representatives: Representative Clement Vallandigham of Ohio David: Neil Vigdor for the New York Times: “A Teenager Tracked Elon Musk's Jet on Twitter. Then Came the Direct Message.” Listener chatter from Erin Arizzi-Shores: The Double Shift: “The Check's Not In The Mail” More listener chatter from Larry Williams: Barbara J. King for NPR: “Watch The Moment A Dying Chimpanzee Recognizes An Old Friend”; Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves, by Frans De Waal. For this week's Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David offer advice about how to establish a work/life balance. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Emily, John and David discuss Donald Trump's attempts to seize voting machines, the racist attacks on the yet-to-be-named SCOTUS nominee, and they are joined by Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health, to discuss ways we might update U.S. COVID norms. Here are some notes and references from this week's show: Joseph G. Allen for The Washington Post: “Our Playbook to Fight Covid-19 Is Outdated. Here Are 10 Updates for 2022.” Joseph G. Allen and Celine R. Gounder for The Hill: “We Have a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Fix Our Crumbling Schools” Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, by Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber Adam Serwer for The Atlantic: “Republicans Seem to Think Putting a Black Woman on the Supreme Court Is the Real Racism” Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach Us About How to Succeed at Work and at Home, by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik Here's this week's chatter: Emily: Kristin Toussaint for Fast Company: “How Do Workers Take on a National Chain Like Starbucks? One Store at a Time”; Noam Scheiber for The New York Times: “Taking On Starbucks, Inspired by Bernie Sanders” John: Adam Gopnik for The New Yorker: “Molière to the Panthéon!”; History, Art and Archives: United States House of Representatives: Representative Clement Vallandigham of Ohio David: Neil Vigdor for the New York Times: “A Teenager Tracked Elon Musk's Jet on Twitter. Then Came the Direct Message.” Listener chatter from Erin Arizzi-Shores: The Double Shift: “The Check's Not In The Mail” More listener chatter from Larry Williams: Barbara J. King for NPR: “Watch The Moment A Dying Chimpanzee Recognizes An Old Friend”; Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves, by Frans De Waal. For this week's Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David offer advice about how to establish a work/life balance. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Emily, John and David discuss Donald Trump's attempts to seize voting machines, the racist attacks on the yet-to-be-named SCOTUS nominee, and they are joined by Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health, to discuss ways we might update U.S. COVID norms. Here are some notes and references from this week's show: Joseph G. Allen for The Washington Post: “Our Playbook to Fight Covid-19 Is Outdated. Here Are 10 Updates for 2022.” Joseph G. Allen and Celine R. Gounder for The Hill: “We Have a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Fix Our Crumbling Schools” Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, by Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber Adam Serwer for The Atlantic: “Republicans Seem to Think Putting a Black Woman on the Supreme Court Is the Real Racism” Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach Us About How to Succeed at Work and at Home, by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik Here's this week's chatter: Emily: Kristin Toussaint for Fast Company: “How Do Workers Take on a National Chain Like Starbucks? One Store at a Time”; Noam Scheiber for The New York Times: “Taking On Starbucks, Inspired by Bernie Sanders” John: Adam Gopnik for The New Yorker: “Molière to the Panthéon!”; History, Art and Archives: United States House of Representatives: Representative Clement Vallandigham of Ohio David: Neil Vigdor for the New York Times: “A Teenager Tracked Elon Musk's Jet on Twitter. Then Came the Direct Message.” Listener chatter from Erin Arizzi-Shores: The Double Shift: “The Check's Not In The Mail” More listener chatter from Larry Williams: Barbara J. King for NPR: “Watch The Moment A Dying Chimpanzee Recognizes An Old Friend”; Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves, by Frans De Waal. For this week's Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David offer advice about how to establish a work/life balance. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join us as author Chris Clearfield shares with us insights from his most recent book "Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It" with co-host Gary Wong and our community members. Today, we are in the golden age of meltdowns. More and more of our systems are in the danger zone, but our ability to manage them hasn't quite caught up. The result: things fall apart. This book is for people to understand that preventing meltdowns is within their grasp. Why do our systems fail and meltdowns occur? Why are safety systems the biggest single source of catastrophic failure in complex, tightly coupled systems? How can Dissent and Diversity help us avoid failure in a complex world? How can we make meltdowns less likely without involving painful trade-offs? View book: https://amzn.to/3lFRAio (https://amzn.to/3lpi73n)
Failure is part of any business. In this episode, Chris Clearfield joins Tom to help us discover how to decrease business failures and develop solutions that will increase success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Such a fun and thought provoking chat with the wonderful Chris Clearfield this week. We discuss the complexity of systems, empathy, blame and the infamous La La Land Oscars fiasco.
Chris helps leaders solve impossible problems. As a coach and consultant, he guides his clients to a deep understanding of their unique and complex challenges. With his assistance, they learn to engage others and solve their most challenging problems in creative, collaborative ways. He is the co-author of Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach Us About How to Succeed at Work and at Home, which was named a best book of 2018 by The Financial Times and won the National Business Book Award. Explore disruption from the perspective of a risk analyst, learn how black and grey swans play into the innovation/disruption field, and how leaders best prepare for an uncertain future.
Our old friend Chris Clearfield explains how he helps leaders identify and fix overwhelmingly complicated organisational problems. SHOW LINKS: - Chris's workshop: https://pages.chrisclearfield.com/webinar/?sc_ref=55TfdIkc52FEI1EH - Chris's email, site, and podcast: chris@chrisclearfield.com , https://www.chrisclearfield.com/ , https://www.chrisclearfield.com/podcast - Meltdown: https://www.meltdownbook.net/ - Previous episode with Chris: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/meltdown-part-i - Cynefin framework: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynefin_framework --- Our new book, Agile Conversations, is out now! See https://conversationaltransformation.com where you can order your copy and get a free video when you join our mailing list! We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us at info@conversationaltransformation.com
Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It by Chris Clearfield explores how complexity causes problems in modern systems and how individuals, organizations, and societies can prevent or mitigate the resulting failures. Meltdown was named a best book of the year by the Financial Times and won the National Business Book Award in 2019. In reviewing the book in The Wall Street Journal, concluded that: "Meltdown effectively conveys why addressing systemic failures is both difficult and essential: difficult because it's so much more comfortable to rely on gut instinct and trust familiar colleagues than to insist on structured approaches and solicit the views of others; essential because we are moving into the danger zone and need all the help we can get." Meltdown received the George R. Terry Book Award of the Academy of Management, granted annually to "the book judged to have made the most outstanding contribution to the global advancement of management knowledge during the last two years." The book also won the Thinkers50 Strategy Award in 2019 and was described as "one of the stand-out business books of the last decade." Get Notified: https://sendfox.com/redrisks #redrisks #redrisksmedia #linkedinlive
Jeffrey and Squirrel show you how to use "paradoxical agenda-setting" to help ensure a team or organisation is really committed—or to find out why commitment would be a very bad idea! - Invite to the Agile Conversations Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/agile-conversations/shared_invite/zt-nuw1f84n-62CQworE~PpuR7WOUCZp4g - Paradoxical Agenda-Setting: https://feelinggood.com/tag/paradoxical-agenda-setting/ - Chris Clearfield: https://www.chrisclearfield.com/podcast - The Uncanny Valley of a Functional Organization: https://stratechery.com/2013/the-uncanny-valley-of-a-functional-organization/ - Collaboration Theater: https://twitter.com/Grundlefleck/status/1398282369577230336 --- Our new book, Agile Conversations, is out now! See https://conversationaltransformation.com where you can order your copy and get a free video when you join our mailing list! We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us at info@conversationaltransformation.com
Ep. 26 — Jason Barnwell — How To Build an Innovation Machine by Chris Clearfield
"Endlessly fascinating, brimming with insight, and more fun than a book about failure has any right to be, Meltdown will transform how you think about the systems that govern our lives. This is a wonderful book."--Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better A crash on the Washington, D.C. metro system. An accidental overdose in a state-of-the-art hospital. An overcooked holiday meal. At first glance, these disasters seem to have little in common. But surprising new research shows that all these events--and the myriad failures that dominate headlines every day--share similar causes. By understanding what lies behind these failures, we can design better systems, make our teams more productive, and transform how we make decisions at work and at home. Weaving together cutting-edge social science with riveting stories that take us from the frontlines of the Volkswagen scandal to backstage at the Oscars, and from deep beneath the Gulf of Mexico to the top of Mount Everest, Chris Clearfield and Andras Tilcsik explain how the increasing complexity of our systems creates conditions ripe for failure and why our brains and teams can't keep up. They highlight the paradox of progress: Though modern systems have given us new capabilities, they've become vulnerable to surprising meltdowns--and even to corruption and misconduct. But Meltdown isn't just about failure; it's about solutions--whether you're managing a team or the chaos of your family's morning routine. It reveals why ugly designs make us safer, how a five-minute exercise can prevent billion-dollar catastrophes, why teams with fewer experts are better at managing risk, and why diversity is one of our best safeguards against failure. The result is an eye-opening, empowering, and entirely original book--one that will change the way you see our complex world and your own place in it. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/support
With technological advances and information updates, our social systems have become increasingly complex. When facing a complex situation, we can hardly give an accurate prediction about what’s going to happen, and it’s also extremely difficult to make the right judgments. But we must do so because a seemingly trivial mistake might eventually snowball into a catastrophe. Fortunately, we still have the chance to stop this from happening. This book, Meltdown, gives a detailed account of why our systems fail and how we can catch up with technology and prevent meltdowns.
How do we thrive in a complex world, with disaster all around us? "Meltdown" author Chris Clearfield lays it out for leaders and everyday folks. Alberta's doctors vote "no" to a negotiated deal with the government - what does it mean? Health law/policy expert Dr. Lorian Hardcastle checks in from the University of Calgary. What are the short- and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on children, and how do we need to respond? Children First Canada CEO Sara Austin joins for a powerful conversation. Plus, a ton of your emails about Alberta's draft curriculum for K-6 Social Studies. Real Talkers are riled up! 17:16 - Chris Clearfield 41:41 - Dr. Lorian Hardcastle 1:05:12 - Sara Austin
It is 2021! Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better! Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives... Give this a listen. Thanks for listening and tell your friends. See you on Audible...all my books are up on there. One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book! Have a great day as well.
this episode features Chris Dale, Chief Quality Officer at Swedish & Chris Clearfield, Co-Founder of System Logic. Here, they discuss how to navigate complex systems, managing the COVID-19 response, vaccine distribution and more.
Larry and Dave chat with Chris Clearfield, author of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It. Chris is also the founder of System Logic, a boutique research and consulting firm that frequently works with lawyers and other legal professionals. Listen as Chris and our hosts talk extensively about goals, including Read more about Ep 73- The Truth About Goals[…]
Ep. 17 – Jim Riley – Are You as Good as Jim Riley at Dealing with Disruptions? by Chris Clearfield
Ep. 16 – Misha Glouberman – Why You Suck at Listening (and How to Improve) by Chris Clearfield
Ep. 15 – Tim Harford – The Undercover Economist on Creativity by Chris Clearfield
Ep. 14 - A Guide to Goal Setting for the Empowered Entrepreneur by Chris Clearfield
Ep. 13 – Making Friends with Failure by Chris Clearfield
How do you scale your business when you're the linchpin and can't break away from the day-to-day? This is a tension that many of us feel. You should be able to take a vacation without worrying about what's happening in the firm, right? It's a challenge to get yourself removed from all the pieces of the puzzle. It can be done, but it's the interim that's tricky. This is a question that I've been working through with a lawyer-client of mine and he was nice enough to let me share part of his process with you here on the podcast.
Psychological safety is the belief that you can bring your whole self to work, and speak up with ideas and feedback—as well as make mistakes—without fear of punishment. But, how do you do that if you don’t trust your boss or your coworkers? In this episode we are exploring what makes some work environments open and collaborative, and others closed-off and fear-inducing. And how to deal with either scenario.Harvard Professor Amy Edmondson explains what is ‘psychological safety’, the term she coined, and explains how organizations, and we, can become fear-free in our work. Former Google executive Geoff Ho, and Chris Clearfield, author of Meltdown, discuss how sharing mistakes at work can be the difference between success and failure. Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor, gives us the tools to start having hard conversations with our colleagues and bosses, so we can cultivate more trusting and strong working relationships. Scott, along with Benjamin Granger, explain the importance of giving and receiving feedback, and how we can get better at doing both.For the Love of Work is an original podcast made possible by Rogers. Learn more about the podcast at Rogers . Or rate or review the show here. We’d love to know what you think.
We have a lot of devices – cellphones, tablets, laptops – and they all need to be charged up constantly. How much does that cost? And how much does it cost to run a television, light bulb or a Tesla every year? Listen to discover the answers. http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ekhf45ellkj/ipad-1-50-per-year/ It seems as if the truth has taken a beating in recent years. Your truth may not be my truth and then, of course, there is alternative truth. Huh? It’s time we take a closer look at what the truth is and isn’t. So joining me is Hector MacDonald, he is strategic communications consultant who has advised the leaders of some of the world’s top corporations as well as the British government. Hector is the author of a new book called TRUTH: How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality (https://amzn.to/2pVUYs6) and I think you will find what he has to say very enlightening. Everyone has been worried about their breath on occasion. We all know what a huge turn-off bad breath can be. So I will let you in on some proven strategies to fight bad breath when you aren’t able to brush your teeth. I’ll also tell you a few myths about bad breath that may surprise you. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/03/cure-bad-breath_n_1126196.html You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law… Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. But why is that so? Why do things go wrong? Whether it is your morning routine to get the kids off to school (which in my house OFTEN goes wrong) to how you do your job or cook Thanksgiving dinner to disastrous space shuttle launches – things can and do go wrong. Listen to Chris Clearfield, co-author of the book, Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/2pZgPy3) as he delves into the science of failure. You’ll discover how failure works and more importantly how you can learn from failure to prevent it from happening again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Larry and Dave interview Chris Clearfield, founder of System Logic and co-author of the book MELTDOWN: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It. Chris discusses how failure might come about, and how it can be avoided. Learn tips on how to cut through complexity and refine your business.
In Episode 25 haben wir uns mit Entscheiden unter Unsicherheit auseinandergesetzt. Wann macht Evidenz-basiertes Entscheiden Sinn, wann müssen wir andere Strategien anwenden. Dies war ein erster Aufschlag zu diesem Thema. In dieser Episode greifen wir einen der kurz erwähnten Aspekte auf und vertiefen ihn: Wicked Problems. Mit dem einflussreichen Fachartikel aus dem Jahr 1973 haben Horst Rittel und Melvin Webber den Begriff eingeführt, ins Deutsche vielleicht mit »bösartige Probleme« übersetzbar. Wir werden uns mit der Frage auseinandersetzen was Wicked Problems von Tame Problems also »zahmen Problemen« unterscheidet und welche Rolle Effizienz dabei spielt. Rittel und Webber beschreiben 10 Charakteristika von wicked problems, die ich auf 4+1 Aspekte zusammenfasse. Die Erkenntnisse dieses fast fünfzig Jahre alten Artikels sind heute gültiger als zur Zeit der Veröffentlichung. Das zeigen zahlreiche neuere Publikationen, die die Terminologie und Konzepte aufgreifen. Ich wähle beispielhaft zwei hervor: David Epstein (Range) und Chris Clearfield (Meltdown). Beide beschäftigen sich mit der Frage, wie wir mit den heute überall zu sehenden wicked problems und wicked domains umgehen sollen. Was ist die Konsequenz für unsere Zukunft? Schule, Universität, Politik, Management? Und nicht zuletzt: was halten wir von Experten, oder besser gesagt: wie können wir Experten, denen wir täglich in den Medien begegnen einschätzen? Referenzen Horst Rittel, Melvin Webber, Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning, Policy Sciences 4 (1973), 155-169 Peter Kruse, Wie reagieren Menschen auf Komplexität? Peter Kruse, Next Practice, Gabel (2004) David J. Epstein, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, Riverhead (2019) Chris Clearfield, Meltdown: Why systems fail and what we can do about it, Atlantic (2018) Philip Tetlock, Superforecasting. The Art and Science of Prediction, Cornerstone (2015) Roger Willemsen: Die Kunst des Streitens in der Mediengesellschaft, Keynote (2014)
Thema dieser Episode ist Entscheiden unter Unsicherheit oder etwas genauer, Unter welchen Voraussetzungen sind evidenzbasierte Entscheidungen angebracht, und wie ist unter Unsicherheit, also etwa bei komplexen Problemen zu entscheiden. Auch dies ist wieder keine Corona-Episode im engeren Sinne, wenngleich die Corona-Krise ein gutes Beispiel für eine Situation ist, wo evidenzbasierte Entscheidung nur bedingt möglich ist. Zunächst gibt es wieder einmal einen Blick in die Vergangenheit: Was können wir von James Lind, Florence Nightingale, Archie Cochrane und John Ioannidis über Fortschritt in der Medizin und evidenzbasiertes Entscheiden lernen? Was sind die Voraussetzungen, damit man in einer bestimmten Problemlage evidenzbasiert Entscheiden kann? Zunächst versuche ich Risiken in drei Klassen einzuteilen und mit Beispielen zu unterlegen um damit deutlich zu machen, dass es von großer Bedeutung ist zunächst einmal zu verstehen, mit welcher Art von Risiko wir es in einem konkreten Fall überhaupt zu tun haben. Darf man etwa Masern Herzinfarkt Autounfälle Ertrinken im Swimmingpool politische Konflikte Covid-19 Finanzmärkte Klimakrise miteinander vergleichen? Wenn ja, unter welchen Voraussetzungen? Wann ist ein System oder ein Problem komplex und was bedeutet das für Entscheidungen? Unter welchen Voraussetzungen ist schnelles und aggressives Handeln das Mittel der Wahl, unter welchen Deliberation und Bezug auf vergangene Ereignisse? Ist rationales Entscheiden Intuition und Bauchgefühl immer überlegen? Warum wird dann so häufig defensiv oder pseudo-rational entschieden? Wenn man über ein akutes Problem hinausblickt: wie kann man sich für die Zukunft vorbereiten? Welche systemischen Aspekte könnte man bedenken Vorbereiten auf Tail Risks Resilienz vs. Effizienz Vielfalt statt Einfalt Verteilung statt Konzentration enge oder lockere Kopplung? Versicherung In dieser Episode wird es wieder einige Anregungen zum Weiterdenken geben, aber wir müssen auch einige Aspekte für spätere Episoden offen lassen, z.B. Eine vertiefte Betrachtung komplexer Systeme und deren Probleme, z.B. »Wicked Problems« Solutionism – wie Technik unseren Blick auf Probleme verwirren kann Atomwaffen und internationale Politische Konflikte Referenzen andere Episoden Episode 23: Frozen Accidents Episode 22: Biodiversität und komplexe Wechselwirkungen – Gespräch mit Prof. Franz Essl Episode 13 und 14 – (Pseudo)wissenschaft? Welcher Aussage können wir trauen? Teil 1 & Teil 2 Episode 10: Komplizierte Komplexität Episode 6: Messen, was messbar ist? fachliche Referenzen John Ioannidis John Ioannidis, Why most published research finding are false, PLoS medicine (2005) John Ioannidis, A fiasco in the making? As the coronavirus pandemic takes hold, we are making decisions without reliable data James Lind: The man who helped to cure scurvy with lemons, BBC Florence Nightingale – Data Scientist Florence Nightingale as Statistician, Edwin W. Kopf, Publications of the American Statistical Association, Vol. 15, No. 116 (Dec., 1916) Florence Nightingale, datajournalist: information has always been beautiful, The Guardian (2010) Presentation by Prof. Lynn McDonald at Gresham College. (30. Oct., 2014) Archie Cochrane Archie Cochrane: - 1971 Rock Carling Fellowship monograph Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services, first published in 1972 by the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust Archie Cochrane and his vision for evidence-based medicine, Hriday M. Shah, Kevin C. Chung (2009) Tim Harford, Trial and Error (2012) Flash Crash Neil Johnson, Abrupt rise of new machine ecology beyond human response time, Nature Scientific Reports (2013) Chris Clearfield, Meltdown: Why systems fail and what we can do about it (2018) The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 1 - Wait But Why (2015) Gerd Gigerenzer Gerd Gigerenzer, Wie trifft man gute Entscheidungen Gerd Gigerenzer, Bauchentscheidungen (2008) Gerd Gigerenzer, Risiko (2014) Peter Kruse Peter Kruse, Wie reagieren Menschen auf Komplexität? (YouTube) Peter Kruse, next practice. Erfolgreiches Management von Instabilität (2004) Nassim Taleb Nassim Taleb, Skin in the Game (2018) Nassim Taleb, Yaneer Bar-Yam, Uncertainty, Certainty and what to do when there is Systemic Risk(2020) Steve Jobs on Consulting
In this episode we sit down with Chris Clearfield, author of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to The Breakdown with Chris Clearfield. This is a space to connect with fellow business owners and the experts that can give us insights. We'll be tapping into perspectives, things that we can learn from different experts who have thought about everything from resilience to what it means to be an entrepreneur.
Chris Clearfield, author of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It, talks to FM magazine senior editor Drew Adamek about how the coronavirus pandemic is exposing complexity in global supply chains, trade, and economies. Clearfield offers advice on how finance professionals can improve their strategic decision-making in the face of this complexity.
In today's business world, organizations can be very complex in nature; from system complexities technical in nature and those that are process and procedural in nature. In either case, these systems can create allot of chaos and confusion when they fail. We talk with 'Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It' author, Chris Clearfield (co-authored with Andras Tilscik). Chris with discuss what causes our internal - and external - systems to become so complex, creating the opportunity for failure further down the road. We'll learn how redundancy is actually better implemented at the outset of any initiative rather than trying to implement it at the end. Chris will also talk about some key solutions organizations can leverage to help ensure that their systems are safe, secure and manageable.
In today's business world, organizations can be very complex in nature; from system complexities technical in nature and those that are process and procedural in nature. In either case, these systems can create allot of chaos and confusion when they fail. We talk with 'Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It' author, Chris Clearfield (co-authored with Andras Tilscik). Chris with discuss what causes our internal - and external - systems to become so complex, creating the opportunity for failure further down the road. We'll learn how redundancy is actually better implemented at the outset of any initiative rather than trying to implement it at the end. Chris will also talk about some key solutions organizations can leverage to help ensure that their systems are safe, secure and manageable.
Mike Sedam talks with Chris Clearfield about the book he co-authored with Andras Tilcsik, Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About it. https://amzn.to/2mG2cBT The conversation not only discusses why complex systems fail, but what we can learn from them and how we can apply that learning to systems like social media. This is a fascinating conversation with takeaways for everyone from safety professionals to CEOs. Visit https://www.rethinkrisk.net/ for more about the book and to contact Chris or Andras. Visit www.crucialtalks.com to contact Mike Sedam.
Host Mitch Joel speaks with Chris Clearfield, the co-author of this year's award-winning book. Chris and András Tilcsik are the authors of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It. They put businesses' biggest mistakes—and the systems that caused them—under the microscope, and look at the role complexity plays in fueling them. But Meltdown doesn't point fingers: Chris and András pull apart these public missteps to troubleshoot solutions, in the hope that we can avoid repeating them. Chris speaks with Mitch about what he and András call ‘the paradox of progress'—the more modern and capable our systems are, the more vulnerable they are to unexpected meltdowns—and even to corruption and misconduct. But with our systems, and our lives, only getting more complicated, what can we do to avoid meltdowns? And when there's so much complexity to point to, who's really to blame when something goes wrong? Join the conversation and learn more about the 2019 finalists by tweeting with #NBBAward. Produced by Allie Graham for Church+State Podcasts.
”Wie alles sich zum Ganzen webt, Eins in dem andern wirkt und lebt“, Goethe, Faust, erste Szene Ich habe in vorigen Episoden immer wieder den Begriff der »Komplexität« verwendet. Es ist daher höchst an der Zeit dass wir uns eine erste Episode mit diesem Begriff auseinandersetzen. In dieser Episode stelle ich drei Fragen: Ist Komplexität und Kompliziertheit dasselbe? Was ist Komplexität, genauer: wo finden wir komplexe Systeme und wie verhalten sie sich Was bedeutet das für die wissenschaftliche und rationale Betrachtung der Welt, vor allem auch für die Herausforderungen der Zukunft? Am Anfang steht die Frage: wie verhalten sich eigentlich die wichtigen Systeme, die unser Leben ermöglichen? »Die Natur macht keine Sprünge«, Carl von Linné Ist das so? Einfache mechanische und simple Systeme zeigen einfache Ursachen/Wirkungszusammenhänge – im Gegensatz zu komplexen Systemen: Wieso wird die Sahara nach langer Zeit mit stabilem Bewuchs in kurzer Zeit zu einer Wüste? Warum kollabieren Seen oder Korallenriffe Wie sieht es mit der Vorhersagekraft von technischen und sozialen Systemen aus? Wer hat den Fall der Berliner Mauer, Flash-Crashs an der Börse oder Donald Trump als Präsidenten korrekt vorhergesagt? ”In der großen Verkettung der Ursachen und Wirkungen darf kein Stoff, keine Thätigkeit, isoliert betrachtet werden.“, Alexander von Humboldt im 18. Jahrhundert Wir leben also nicht in einer Welt der simplen, sondern der wicked problems. Wie kommt das? Fragen wir konkreter nach Was ist ein System? Was sind Systemgrenzen? …und dann noch Skaleneffekte? Kompliziert oder komplex? Fassen wir einfach nochmals zusammen: was ist jetzt der Unterschied? Warum interessiert uns das alles? Heute und in der Zukunft? Wir kämpfen nicht nur mit dem drohenden Kollaps lebenswichtiger natürlicher Systeme, heute werden auch die »künstlichen«, die technischen und sozialen Systeme immer komplexer. So ist es extrem wichtig zu unterscheiden ob wir es mit komplexen Systemen, komplexen Problemen zu tun haben denn sie verhalten sich sehr unterschiedlich müssen mit unterschiedlichen Methoden untersucht werden Management, Kontrolle und Fehlersuche in solchen Systeme erfordert ebenfalls sehr unterschiedliche Strategien Was ist daher größte Problem unserer Zeit? Das größte Problem ist es, wenn Menschen fragen, welches das größte Problem unserer Zeit ist. Denn fast alle Herausforderungen die unsere Zukunft bestimmen sind in komplexer Weise miteinander verbunden. Wir lösen sie also mehr oder weniger gemeinsam, oder gar nicht Und wie immer, sehen wir nach dieser Episode betroffen, den Vorhang zu und alle Fragen offen. Referenzen Rich Hickey: Simple made easy Donella Meadows, Thinking in Systems, Chelsea Green Publishing (2008) Warren Weaver, Science and Complexity, American Scientist, 36: 536 (1948) Andrea Wulf, Alexander Humboldt G. Cumming, Unifying Research on Social-Ecological Resilience and Collapse (2017) Chris Clearfield, Meltdown: Why our systems fail and what we can do about it Charles Perrow, Normale Katastrophen Rupert Riedl, Strukturen der Komplexität (2000) Nassim Taleb, Skin in the Game Peter Kruse, next practice. Erfolgreiches Management von Instabilität
In today's business world, organizations can be very complex in nature; from system complexities technical in nature and those that are process and procedural in nature. In either case, these systems can create allot of chaos and confusion when they fail. We talk with 'Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It' author, Chris Clearfield (co-authored with Andras Tilscik). Chris with discuss what causes our internal - and external - systems to become so complex, creating the opportunity for failure further down the road. We'll learn how redundancy is actually better implemented at the outset of any initiative rather than trying to implement it at the end. Chris will also talk about some key solutions organizations can leverage to help ensure that their systems are safe, secure and manageable.
In today's business world, organizations can be very complex in nature; from system complexities technical in nature and those that are process and procedural in nature. In either case, these systems can create allot of chaos and confusion when they fail. We talk with 'Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It' author, Chris Clearfield (co-authored with Andras Tilscik). Chris with discuss what causes our internal - and external - systems to become so complex, creating the opportunity for failure further down the road. We'll learn how redundancy is actually better implemented at the outset of any initiative rather than trying to implement it at the end. Chris will also talk about some key solutions organizations can leverage to help ensure that their systems are safe, secure and manageable.
Our first interview ever! We welcome to the studio Chris Clearfield, co-author of Meltdown, a book all about system failure and the reasons for it. Chris explains ideas like tight coupling (not the OO kind!) and system complexity, and we explore how they apply to technical debt and bug prioritisation. We get to hear some of the best stories from the book as well, including the hedge fund that lost £500m in 45 minutes, and we learn about failcake and pre-mortem analysis. GUEST LINKS: - Chris's site: https://www.chrisclearfield.com - Chris's twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisClearfield - Book site: http://meltdownbook.net - Take the quiz: http://quiz.rethinkrisk.net/quiz/ - Book video preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wi8KA4I34s&feature=youtu.be SHOW LINKS: - Psychohistory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychohistory_(fictional) - Normal Accidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_Accidents - John Allspaw: https://www.kitchensoap.com/about-me/ - Just Culture book: https://sidneydekker.com/just-culture/ - Dunbar’s number: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number - Amy Edmondson, Teaming: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaming-Organizations-Innovate-Compete-Knowledge/dp/078797093X - Jon Ronson So You've Been Publicly Shamed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_You%27ve_Been_Publicly_Shamed - Gary Klein, Pre-Mortem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-mortem
Our first interview ever! We welcome to the studio Chris Clearfield, co-author of Meltdown, a book all about system failure and the reasons for it. Chris explains ideas like tight coupling (not the OO kind!) and system complexity, and we explore how they apply to technical debt and bug prioritisation. We get to hear some of the best stories from the book as well, including the hedge fund that lost £500m in 45 minutes, and we learn about failcake and pre-mortem analysis. GUEST LINKS: - Chris's site: https://www.chrisclearfield.com - Chris's twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisClearfield - Book site: http://meltdownbook.net - Take the quiz: http://quiz.rethinkrisk.net/quiz/ - Book video preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wi8KA4I34s&feature=youtu.be SHOW LINKS: - Psychohistory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychohistory_(fictional) - Normal Accidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_Accidents - John Allspaw: https://www.kitchensoap.com/about-me/ - Just Culture book: https://sidneydekker.com/just-culture/ - Dunbar’s number: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number - Amy Edmondson, Teaming: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaming-Organizations-Innovate-Compete-Knowledge/dp/078797093X - Jon Ronson So You've Been Publicly Shamed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_You%27ve_Been_Publicly_Shamed - Gary Klein, Pre-Mortem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-mortem *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2
Our first interview ever! We welcome to the studio Chris Clearfield, co-author of Meltdown, a book all about system failure and the reasons for it. Chris explains ideas like tight coupling (not the OO kind!) and system complexity, and we explore how they apply to technical debt and bug prioritisation. We get to hear some of the best stories from the book as well, including the hedge fund that lost £500m in 45 minutes, and we learn about failcake and pre-mortem analysis. GUEST LINKS: - Chris's site: https://www.chrisclearfield.com - Chris's twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisClearfield - Book site: http://meltdownbook.net - Take the quiz: http://quiz.rethinkrisk.net/quiz/ - Book video preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wi8KA4I34s&feature=youtu.be SHOW LINKS: - Psychohistory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychohistory_(fictional) - Normal Accidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_Accidents - John Allspaw: https://www.kitchensoap.com/about-me/ - Just Culture book: https://sidneydekker.com/just-culture/ - Dunbar’s number: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number - Amy Edmondson, Teaming: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaming-Organizations-Innovate-Compete-Knowledge/dp/078797093X - Jon Ronson So You've Been Publicly Shamed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_You%27ve_Been_Publicly_Shamed - Gary Klein, Pre-Mortem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-mortem *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2
Our first interview ever! We welcome to the studio Chris Clearfield, co-author of Meltdown, a book all about system failure and the reasons for it. Chris explains ideas like tight coupling (not the OO kind!) and system complexity, and we explore how they apply to technical debt and bug prioritisation. We get to hear some of the best stories from the book as well, including the hedge fund that lost £500m in 45 minutes, and we learn about failcake and pre-mortem analysis. GUEST LINKS: - Chris's site: https://www.chrisclearfield.com - Chris's twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisClearfield - Book site: http://meltdownbook.net - Take the quiz: http://quiz.rethinkrisk.net/quiz/ - Book video preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wi8KA4I34s&feature=youtu.be SHOW LINKS: - Psychohistory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychohistory_(fictional) - Normal Accidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_Accidents - John Allspaw: https://www.kitchensoap.com/about-me/ - Just Culture book: https://sidneydekker.com/just-culture/ - Dunbar’s number: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number - Amy Edmondson, Teaming: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaming-Organizations-Innovate-Compete-Knowledge/dp/078797093X - Jon Ronson So You've Been Publicly Shamed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_You%27ve_Been_Publicly_Shamed - Gary Klein, Pre-Mortem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-mortem *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2
Whenever a financial or technological disaster takes place, people wonder if it could have possibly been averted. My guests today say that the answer is often yes, and that the lessons around why big disasters happen can teach us something about preventing catastrophes in our businesses and personal lives. Their names are Chris Clearfield and Andras Tilcsik, and they're the authors of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It. We begin our discussion getting into how they got interested in exploring how everything from plane crashes to nuclear meltdowns to flash stock market crashes actually share common causes. We then discuss the difference between complicated and complex systems, why complex systems have weaknesses that make them vulnerable to failure, and how such complexity is on the rise in our modern, technological era. Along the way, Chris and Andras provide examples of complex systems that have crashed and burned, from the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor meltdown to a Starbucks social media campaign gone awry. We end our conversation digging into specific tactics engineers and organizations use to create stronger, more catastrophe-proof systems, and how regular folks can use these insights to help make their own lives run a bit more smoothly. Get the show notes at aom.is/meltdown.
It all began when derivatives trader and commercially licensed airline pilot, Chris Clearfield, started seeing parallels between the financial crisis and aviation accidents all throughout his career. In 2010, when the Deepwater Horizon Rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, the idea for his book, Meltdown, was sparked. Since then Chris has been researching and comparing major catastrophes around the world. Meltdown offers a groundbreaking take on how complexity causes failure in all kinds of modern systems — from social media to air travel—this practical and entertaining book reveals how we can prevent meltdowns in business and life. Chris Clearfield is the Co-Author (with Andras Tilcsik) of Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach us About How To Succeed at Work and Home. This book is all about why our systems fail and what we can do about it. It’s definitely a business book however, you can absolutely apply the principles to family, fitness, training and life. Chris was in town a few months ago, visiting from Seattle. We went for a run then recorded the podcast with today’s special co-host, Lori Mazor. You may know Lori from way back when, episode one. She is my partner in life and racing. Lori connected everyone for the podcast and is a huge fan of the book and has direct experience using some of the principles within. In the book, Chris and Andras weave together cutting edge social science with riveting stories that take us from the front lines of the Volkswagon scandal to backstage at the Oscars, and from deep beneath the Gulf of Mexico to the top of Mount Everest. They explain how the increasing complexities of our systems create conditions ripe for failure and why our brains can’t keep up. Chris and Andras highlight the paradox of progress: while modern systems have given us new capabilities, they’ve become vulnerable to surprising meltdowns—and even corruption and misconduct. Chris shares many of these stories and examples on today’s episode but we also explore his philosophy thru the lens of triathlon and family. Meltdown by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik is now available in paperback and of course, as an audiobook, which I downloaded and listened to on Audible As always, thanks for tuning in and all your great feedback on the podcast. I appreciate your DM’s and questions on social, and keep those emails coming! If you like what you hear, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. It’s easy, scroll though the list of Marni on the Move podcasts on your app, click on Write a review. Share what you like about the podcast, your favorite episodes, what inspires you. Tell your friends to listen, email them a link, post it on your social platforms and tag Marni on the Move, and spread the love! Also, sign up for our newsletter The Download, to find out about upcoming events and summits this summer, great deals, offers, and giveaways!
How are failures connected? How can complex systems be fixed and improved with simple tools?
Business gurus Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik share lessons learned from Facebook's IPO, why we should hang onto our old cars, and why ugly designs can make us safer. Chris and András' latest book is Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It.
Disastrous events take place all the time, but could many be prevented? For example, could discount retailer, Target, have spared thousands of people their jobs rather than close 58 of its Canadian stores? Could the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe have been avoided? Chris Clearfield, co-author with Andras Tilcsik of the book, Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It, sees a paradox at work in these events, that is, increasingly complex systems resulting in greater vulnerability. As he walks us through similar meltdowns that have taken place across organizations like, Enron and Three Mile Island, as well as events like the Oscars, he shares steps we can take to anticipate, and even avoid, these disasters. A former derivatives trader, Chris worked in New York, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. He’s written about catastrophic failure, technology, and finance for The Guardian, Forbes, and the Harvard Kennedy School Review. In this interview Chris answers questions like: Why do meltdowns increase as systems grow more complicated? What advantages do diverse groups have when it comes to avoiding failures? What are the two biggest factors that contribute to most large-scale disasters? How does “tight coupling” contribute to meltdowns? What led to Starbuck’s infamous social media meltdown? How did snafus in UK post offices result in post masters spending time in jail? How has the Internet of things (IoT) increased the chance of meltdowns? In what ways have companies like Enron used complexity to their advantage? Why did Airbus 330 pilots trade sleek design for the more workmanlike Boeing 737? How can premortems help us anticipate and avoid failures in our work? What does the Flint water disaster have to teach us about our cognitive biases? Why is it so important for us to pay attention to small problems as they arise? Which is more important for preventing meltdowns, people who speak up or leaders who listen? How can families take advantage of agile work practices to up their game? What do flight crews have to teach us about workplace communication? Links to Topics Mentioned in the Podcast @ChrisClearfield Charles Perrow Three Mile Island accident Whiplash by Joi Ito and interview link on Curious Minds SPIES decision-making method Superforcasting by Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner Performing a Project Premortem by Gary Klein Daniel Kahneman Flint Water Crisis Marlys Christianson Agile Practices for Families If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes - your ratings help others find their next podcast. For automatic delivery of new episodes, be sure to subscribe. And thank you for listening and sharing! Thank you, as well, to our producer and editor, Rob Mancabelli, and to our logo designer, Vanida Vae. www.gayleallen.net LinkedIn @GAllenTC
There are a lot of chasms in the world, dividing lines between one thing and another. This week on Innovation Hub, we’ll take a look at those chasms, whether they’re in our digital life, our understanding of our own health, or in the complex systems that govern the world. First up, the gap between failure and success can be razor-thin. And the tiniest issues can snowball into huge catastrophes. It happened in the nuclear plant Three Mile Island, with the 2008 financial crisis… even with the 2017 Oscars. Chris Clearfield walks us through the origins of these disasters, and explains why a high level of complexity makes a system vulnerable to meltdown. Then, scarfing down that chocolate bar might give you some momentary pleasure, but it doesn’t make you happy. Yes, there’s a difference. And according to physician Robert Lustig, corporations are more than happy to exploit our confusion about that difference. He says that the chasm between pleasure and happiness is extremely important, and is responsible for many health-related crises in American society. And finally, if you’re reading this, you probably have access to the internet. Which is great, because that means you can do your banking, read the news, and apply for jobs. But across the country, about one in five people don’t have access to those tools. Which means that they’re missing out on a lot of opportunities. Angela Siefer, the executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, talks about efforts to bridge this gap, and get everyone in the U.S. connected.
The Three Mile Island disaster forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. It absolutely dominated the news cycle. It led to a complete rethinking of nuclear energy. And it all stemmed from a plumbing problem, a valve that didn’t shut. But the Three Mile Island accident isn’t the only meltdown caused by a seemingly small issue that snowballed into a gigantic disaster. To find out exactly how this happens, we talked with Chris Clearfield, co-author of “Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It.”
What does the 2007 -2008 financial crisis, the Fukushima nuclear accident, Three Mile Island, and Deepwater Horizon all have in common? The small things. Or rather, lots of tightly coupled small things that are overlooked, ignored or covered up. Accidents waiting to happen. In Deep Survival, Lawrence Gonzalez, writes about the fact that accidents don’t just happen, they are assembled carefully, piece by piece. And if just one single piece is missing, the accident simply doesn’t happen. Risk is unavoidable but accidents aren't. Our world is filled with countless near-misses and close calls, and the truth is, most of the time we never even know how close we came to this or that accident or disaster. This is even truer at the organizational/institutional levels, where risk and complexity combine with organizational culture to increase both the likelihood and the impact of catastrophic failure. My guest on this podcast is Chris Clearfield. Chris brings a novel approach to the study of the challenges posed by risk and complexity. He’s a science geek and reformed derivatives trader, but more recently he’s the founder of System Logic, an independent research and consulting firm dedicated to understanding risk and its interaction with organizational factors. He’s also the co-author, with András Tilcsik, of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail, and What We Can do About it, which is the topic of our show today. This isn't a conversation just about system failures and why they happen; it's also about what we can do about those failures, about how we can better prepare for, and even prevent many such accidents and failures from happening. “The same kind of culture and decision making that led to the financial crisis also led to BP" - Chris Clearfield Complex systems generate risk (and fail) in ways that are fundamentally different from the kinds of risks and failures our species evolved to deal with over millions of years, and that the new risk landscape we face requires a new approach to risk management, and really, an entirely new organizational culture. Chris was very insightful during the conversation, as he discussed the emergent properties of many system-wide failures. Many of these disasters were emergent in those systems in the same way as the 2009 financial crisis was “of the system and not an anomaly.” “What would have to be in place for something really bad to happen?" Checklists and Pre-mortems After talking with Chris, I find myself thinking much more in terms of checklists and “pre-mortems” and the like. It’s like we spend most of our lives driving along a twisty mountain highway at night, totally clueless about just how close to the edge of the 500-foot cliff we really came around that last turn. I’m reflecting more and more on what would have to be in place for something bad to go wrong, say driving your car or in managing online bank accounts. What would have to be in place for something really bad to happen and then kind of going back and mentally reverse-engineering and mitigating those things, those pieces, one by one. I hope you find my conversation with Chris as interesting as I did. Some of the other subjects we discuss include: Why systems fail and how some of these companies handled or weathered different crises much better than others; Tight coupling—where connections come together in a way that’s very hard to stop The most prevalent cognitive biases associated with meltdowns Black Swan events—and how to find the feathers that predict such events Pre-established criteria in decision making The value of dissent Power cues—including a fascinating example Chris gives of a study they did with physicians’ around body language with patients; The S.P.I.E.S Tool, that goes hand in hand with the Annie Duke episode if you're curious and want to listen to that regarding Thinking in Bets. In other words, we talked about a ton of really interesting and useful subjects, and hopefully, I've “salted” this intro enough to make you thirsty for the whole episode.
How can we learn from large system failures? In their new book Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (Penguin Press, 2018), Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik explore system failures and what we can learn from them. The book takes readers through a diverse set of experiences and accidents that may not appear on the surface to be related, but that all have similar problems and potential solutions. From DC Metro Train accidents to Three Mile Island, Clearfield and Tilcsik provide background and analysis on each issue, stringing together recurring issues within systems failures. Highlighting the works of Sociologists and other researchers and journalists throughout the text, this book is engaging and connects real world examples to real, usable tips for preventing system failures. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, including sociologists, business leaders, and anyone interested in changing organizations for the better. This book would be accessible for an undergraduate class in sociology or business and would be an interesting addition to a graduate course where the studies highlighted in the book could be linked and discussed. Sarah E. Patterson is a postdoc at the University of Western Ontario. You can tweet her at @spattersearch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How can we learn from large system failures? In their new book Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (Penguin Press, 2018), Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik explore system failures and what we can learn from them. The book takes readers through a diverse set of... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/systems-and-cybernetics
How can we learn from large system failures? In their new book Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (Penguin Press, 2018), Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik explore system failures and what we can learn from them. The book takes readers through a diverse set of experiences and accidents that may not appear on the surface to be related, but that all have similar problems and potential solutions. From DC Metro Train accidents to Three Mile Island, Clearfield and Tilcsik provide background and analysis on each issue, stringing together recurring issues within systems failures. Highlighting the works of Sociologists and other researchers and journalists throughout the text, this book is engaging and connects real world examples to real, usable tips for preventing system failures. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, including sociologists, business leaders, and anyone interested in changing organizations for the better. This book would be accessible for an undergraduate class in sociology or business and would be an interesting addition to a graduate course where the studies highlighted in the book could be linked and discussed. Sarah E. Patterson is a postdoc at the University of Western Ontario. You can tweet her at @spattersearch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How can we learn from large system failures? In their new book Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (Penguin Press, 2018), Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik explore system failures and what we can learn from them. The book takes readers through a diverse set of experiences and accidents that may not appear on the surface to be related, but that all have similar problems and potential solutions. From DC Metro Train accidents to Three Mile Island, Clearfield and Tilcsik provide background and analysis on each issue, stringing together recurring issues within systems failures. Highlighting the works of Sociologists and other researchers and journalists throughout the text, this book is engaging and connects real world examples to real, usable tips for preventing system failures. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, including sociologists, business leaders, and anyone interested in changing organizations for the better. This book would be accessible for an undergraduate class in sociology or business and would be an interesting addition to a graduate course where the studies highlighted in the book could be linked and discussed. Sarah E. Patterson is a postdoc at the University of Western Ontario. You can tweet her at @spattersearch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How can we learn from large system failures? In their new book Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (Penguin Press, 2018), Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik explore system failures and what we can learn from them. The book takes readers through a diverse set of experiences and accidents that may not appear on the surface to be related, but that all have similar problems and potential solutions. From DC Metro Train accidents to Three Mile Island, Clearfield and Tilcsik provide background and analysis on each issue, stringing together recurring issues within systems failures. Highlighting the works of Sociologists and other researchers and journalists throughout the text, this book is engaging and connects real world examples to real, usable tips for preventing system failures. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, including sociologists, business leaders, and anyone interested in changing organizations for the better. This book would be accessible for an undergraduate class in sociology or business and would be an interesting addition to a graduate course where the studies highlighted in the book could be linked and discussed. Sarah E. Patterson is a postdoc at the University of Western Ontario. You can tweet her at @spattersearch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Plane crashes. Oil well blowouts. Even Facebook's user-data scandal. Failures are everywhere. Can we see them coming in time to prevent them? Chris Clearfield is the co-author of "MELTDOWN: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It". He talks with KCBS Radio anchors - and "10 Questions" podcast hosts - Stan Bunger and Susan Leigh Taylor in this special edition of KCBS In Depth.
Steve talks with Chris Clearfield about Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It, which he wrote with Andras Tilcsik. The book reveals why ugly designs make us safer, why teams with fewer experts are better at managing risk, and why diversity is one of our best safeguards against failure. The result is an eye-opening, empowering, and entirely original work. Chris Clearfield is a former derivatives trader who worked in New York, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. He is a licensed commercial pilot and a graduate of Harvard University, where he studied physics and biology. Chris has written about complexity and failure for The Guardian, Forbes, and the Harvard Kennedy School Review. He lives in Seattle. Conor talks with Steve Toutonghi about his new book Side Life. Set in Seattle, Steve Toutonghi's second novel is a dazzling, intriguing, and philosophical blend of literary science fiction. A native of Seattle, Steve Toutonghi studied fiction and poetry while completing a BA in Anthropology at Stanford. After various professional forays, he began a career in technology that led him from Silicon Valley back to Seattle. He is the author of a previous novel, Join.
body .audioplayer.skin-wave.playerid-32902249:not(.a) .ap-controls .con-playpause .playbtn , body .audioplayer.skin-wave.playerid-32902249:not(.a) .ap-controls .con-playpause .pausebtn { background-color: #111111;} jQuery(document).ready(function ($){var settings_ap32902249 = { design_skin: "skin-wave" ,autoplay: "off",disable_volume:"default" ,loop:"off" ,cue: "on" ,embedded: "off" ,preload_method:"metadata" ,design_animateplaypause:"default" ,skinwave_dynamicwaves:"off" ,skinwave_enableSpectrum:"off" ,skinwave_enableReflect:"on",settings_backup_type:"full",playfrom:"off",disable_scrub:"off",soundcloud_apikey:"" ,skinwave_comments_enable:"on",settings_php_handler:window.ajaxurl,skinwave_mode:"normal",skinwave_wave_mode:"canvas",pcm_data_try_to_generate: "on","pcm_notice": "off","notice_no_media": "on",design_color_bg: "111111",design_color_highlight: "ef6b13",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_waves_number: "3",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_waves_padding: "1",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_reflection_size: "0.25",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_mode:"normal",preview_on_hover:"off",skinwave_comments_playerid:"32902249",php_retriever:"https://myquestforthebest.com/wp-content/plugins/dzs-zoomsounds/soundcloudretriever.php" }; try{ dzsap_init(".ap_idx_5622_93",settings_ap32902249); }catch(err){ console.warn("cannot init player", err); } }); Founder of System Logic, Co-Author of Meltdown Bill Ringle and Chris Clearfield discuss the remarkable simplicity that can avert catastrophic business disasters, applicable of organizations of all sizes. Key points that you’ll learn from this interview: Complexity is unavoidable, so here is how to think about it in order to manage it successfully. Why it is important to consider how many things have to go RIGHT for your project to succeed. The importance of developing a test and feedback cadence in your work. The myth of the open door policy. How a Toronto hospital cut down unnecessary (and costly) x-rays by changing their protocol Interview Insights Click to Read the Show Notes 2:41 Chris tells about the time when a physics professor took the time to explain a difficult subject to him, and eventually took him under his wing, and the impact that had on his young mind. 3:56 “When you’re doing science, you don’t always have the answer, and sometimes you get an answer that you don’t expect…the world is not a straightforward and linear place.” 4:46 Chris describes his role working for James Street, and using computers to recognize how much things were worth. 6:58 “Once I understood the trading and I understood the infrastructure and the regulatory stuff and the way everything came together, I switched to a role where I was looking at these bigger questions of risk.” 9:00 How reading about aviation infrastructure, or lack thereof, in Asia allowed Chris to see the complexity inherent in the system. 9:24 “Why do some organizations do a great job of making decisions in really complex environments and managing risk and others do not?” 9:58 “Aviation has figured out how to manage some of these risks prospectively.” 11:00 The genesis of starting his own firm. 11:57 Chris recounts his interest in the BP oil spill. “I was really interested in understanding what happened, and as I dug in more and more…I became fascinated with how the accident happened.” 12:37 “The greatest environmentalist in the last 50 years, might’ve been someone at BP who said, ‘No, this isn’t the right way to do this.’” 13:53 The reason to buy down risk. “There are things happening in the world that [people] don’t quite understand that will affect their business.” 15:18 The importance of preparing for the “knock-on” consequences. 15:58 “It’s not about figuring out what hatch to close,
Founder of System Logic, Co-Author of Meltdown Bill Ringle and Chris Clearfield discuss the remarkable simplicity that can avert catastrophic business disasters, applicable of organizations of all sizes. body .audioplayer.skin-wave.playerid-32902249:not(.a) .ap-controls .con-playpause .playbtn , body .audioplayer.skin-wave.playerid-32902249:not(.a) .ap-controls .con-playpause .pausebtn { background-color: #111111;} jQuery(document).ready(function ($){var settings_ap32902249 = { design_skin: "skin-wave" ,autoplay: "off",disable_volume:"default" ,loop:"off" ,cue: "on" ,embedded: "off" ,preload_method:"metadata" ,design_animateplaypause:"default" ,skinwave_dynamicwaves:"off" ,skinwave_enableSpectrum:"off" ,skinwave_enableReflect:"on",settings_backup_type:"full",playfrom:"off",disable_scrub:"off",soundcloud_apikey:"" ,skinwave_comments_enable:"on",settings_php_handler:window.ajaxurl,skinwave_mode:"normal",skinwave_wave_mode:"canvas",pcm_data_try_to_generate: "on","pcm_notice": "off","notice_no_media": "on",design_color_bg: "111111",design_color_highlight: "ef6b13",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_waves_number: "3",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_waves_padding: "1",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_reflection_size: "0.25",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_mode:"normal",preview_on_hover:"off",skinwave_comments_playerid:"32902249",php_retriever:"https://myquestforthebest.com/wp-content/plugins/dzs-zoomsounds/soundcloudretriever.php" }; try{ dzsap_init(".ap_idx_5622_118",settings_ap32902249); }catch(err){ console.warn("cannot init player", err); } }); Key points that you’ll learn from this interview: Complexity is unavoidable, so here is how to think about it in order to manage it successfully.Why it is important to consider how many things have to go RIGHT for your project to succeed.The importance of developing a test and feedback cadence in your work.The myth of the open door policy.How a Toronto hospital cut down unnecessary (and costly) x-rays by changing its protocol [thrive_accordion_group title="Interview Insights"][thrive_accordion title="Click to Read the Show Notes" no="1/1" default="no"] 2:41 Chris tells about the time when a physics professor took the time to explain a difficult subject to him, and eventually took him under his wing, and the impact that had on his young mind. 3:56 “When you’re doing science, you don’t always have the answer, and sometimes you get an answer that you don’t expect…the world is not a straightforward and linear place.” 4:46 Chris describes his role working for James Street, and using computers to recognize how much things were worth. 6:58 “Once I understood the trading and I understood the infrastructure and the regulatory stuff and the way everything came together, I switched to a role where I was looking at these bigger questions of risk.” 9:00 How reading about aviation infrastructure, or lack thereof, in Asia allowed Chris to see the complexity inherent in the system. 9:24 “Why do some organizations do a great job of making decisions in really complex environments and managing risk and others do not?” 9:58 “Aviation has figured out how to manage some of these risks prospectively.” 11:00 The genesis of starting his own firm. 11:57 Chris recounts his interest in the BP oil spill. “I was really interested in understanding what happened, and as I dug in more and more…I became fascinated with how the accident happened.” 12:37 “The greatest environmentalist in the last 50 years, might’ve been someone at BP who said, ‘No, this isn’t the right way to do this.’” 13:53 The reason to buy down risk. “There are things happening in the world that [people] don’t quite understand that will affect their business.” 15:18 The importance of preparing for the “knock-on” consequences. 15:58 “It’s not about figuring out what hatch to close, it’s about developing a different perspective and saying: ‘Oh, these things might interact in a way that causes a big problem.’”
The Three Mile Island disaster caused hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. It absolutely dominated the news cycle. It led to a complete rethinking of nuclear energy. And it all stemmed from a plumbing problem, a valve that didn’t shut. But the Three Mile Island accident isn’t the only meltdown caused by a seemingly small issue that snowballed into a gigantic disaster. To find out exactly how this happens, we talked with Chris Clearfield, co-author of “Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About it.”
A crash on the Washington, D.C. metro system. An accidental overdose in a state-of-the-art hospital. An overcooked holiday meal. At first glance, these disasters seem to have little in common. But surprising new research shows that all these events—and the myriad failures that dominate headlines every day—share similar causes. With insight from their book Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It, Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik joined us for an enlightening discussion of how the increasing complexity of our systems creates conditions ripe for failure, and why our brains and teams can’t keep up. They weaved together diverse perspectives on complexity and failure and merged cutting-edge social science with riveting stories that took us from the frontlines of the Volkswagen scandal to backstage at the Oscars, and from deep beneath the Gulf of Mexico to the top of Mount Everest. Clearfield and Tilcsik highlighted the paradox of progress: though modern systems have given us new capabilities, they’ve become vulnerable to meltdowns, corruption, and misconduct. They took Town Hall’s stage for a masterclass on surmounting these system failures and urged us to understand them so we can design better systems, make our teams more productive, and transform how we make decisions at work and at home. Join Clearfield and Tilcsik to learn why ugly designs make us safer, how a five-minute exercise can prevent billion-dollar catastrophes, why teams with fewer experts are better at managing risk, and why diversity is one of our best safeguards against failure. Chris Clearfield is a former derivatives trader who worked in New York, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. He is a licensed commercial pilot and a graduate of Harvard University, where he studied physics and biology. Chris has written about complexity and failure for The Guardian, Forbes, and the Harvard Kennedy School Review. András Tilcsik holds the Canada Research Chair in Strategy, Organizations, and Society at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. He has been recognized as one of the world’s top forty business professors under forty and as one of thirty management thinkers most likely to shape the future of organizations. The United Nations named his course on organizational failure as the best course on disaster risk management in a business school. Recorded live at Rainier Arts Center by Town Hall Seattle on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.
Plane crashes. Oil well blowouts. Even Facebook's user-data scandal. Failures are everywhere. Can we see them coming in time to prevent them? Chris Clearfield is the co-author of "MELTDOWN: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It". He talks with Stan Bunger and Susan Leigh Taylor on Episode 8 of "10 Questions With Stan and Susan".
We have a lot of devices – cellphones, tablets, laptops – and they all need to be charged up constantly. How much does that cost? And how much does it cost to run a television, light bulb or a Tesla every year? Listen to discover the answers. (http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ekhf45ellkj/ipad-1-50-per-year/) It seems as if the truth has taken a beating in recent years. Your truth may not be my truth and then, of course, there is alternative truth. Huh? It’s time we take a closer look at what the truth is and isn’t. So joining me is Hector MacDonald, he is strategic communications consultant who has advised the leaders of some of the world’s top corporations as well as the British government. Hector is the author of a new book called TRUTH: How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality (https://amzn.to/2pVUYs6) and I think you will find what he has to say very enlightening. Everyone has been worried about their breath on occasion. We all know what a huge turn-off bad breath can be. So I will let you in on some proven strategies to fight bad breath when you aren’t able to brush your teeth. I’ll also tell you a few myths about bad breath that may surprise you. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/03/cure-bad-breath_n_1126196.html) You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law… Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. But why is that so? Why do things go wrong? Whether it is your morning routine to get the kids off to school (which in my house OFTEN goes wrong) to how you do your job or cook Thanksgiving dinner to disastrous space shuttle launches – things can and do go wrong. Listen to Chris Clearfield, co-author of the book Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/2pZgPy3) as he delves into the science of failure. You'll discover how failure works and more importantly how you can learn from failure to prevent it from happening again.
I don’t think there is anyone that would argue that the world is a far more complex place today. All of the machines and technology that are supposed to make our lives easier have, at times, made it more complicated, more frustrating, and more subject to things going wrong. Anyone who’s tried to operate the GPS or radio in a new BMW, or even to operate their television knows exactly what I mean. This is not just about technology and algorithms. It’s also about the systems and organizations that make our world work. We have embraced complexity as an operating system, but we have yet to build into that complexity the fail safe systems that prevent all of it from spiraling out of control. We seem to be at a critical juncture. We have designed so much that can go wrong, and have yet to design the internal systems that can prevent it. For complexity, it’s both the best and worst of times. Until we figure it all out, a Meltdown is around every corner. That's the title of a new book co-authored by Chris Clearfield. My conversation with Chris Clearfield:
On The Gist, forget Stormy Daniels. The Kushners’ massive loan deals are where the real dirt is at. In the interview, the world’s growing complexity can be measured in dusty cables, useless features, and lines of code. Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik talk about the problems that snowball when even the smallest thing goes wrong. Clearfield and Tilcsik are the authors of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It. In the Spiel, any census that asks people about their citizenship status will be pricey and inaccurate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, forget Stormy Daniels. The Kushners’ massive loan deals are where the real dirt is at. In the interview, the world’s growing complexity can be measured in dusty cables, useless features, and lines of code. Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik talk about the problems that snowball when even the smallest thing goes wrong. Clearfield and Tilcsik are the authors of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It. In the Spiel, any census that asks people about their citizenship status will be pricey and inaccurate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices