The illusion of stability: why a little chaos is good for every company

The illusion of stability: why a little chaos is good for every company

In companies, we often strive for stability and predictability: processes must be stable, delivery dates dependable and forecasts reliable, while investors expect reliable statements about profit at the end of the financial year. The demand for stability and security runs through every area of life: we seek work-life balance and, in Germany, even insure life itself. To eliminate the last uncertainties and instabilities, many companies use comprehensive risk-management systems. Yet Nassim Nicholas Taleb shows in “Antifragile” that this idea is an illusion. We actually need a degree of volatility to grow and develop.

Taleb’s analogy is revealing: while equilibrium in inanimate objects means immobility, organic systems only reach such a state with death. Dynamic systems such as companies need a degree of volatility and randomness to remain vital and adaptable.

Companies trying to eliminate every kind of uncertainty could unintentionally undermine their own capacity for innovation and resilience. A certain level of stress and unpredictability is necessary to develop ideas, respond to change and adapt.

We would do well to question the illusion of complete stability and embrace the dynamics of change. Adaptability is the essential capability for remaining resilient in today’s volatile times, for organisations and individuals alike. A little chaos does us all good! We should welcome it with open arms instead of eliminating it through new management systems.

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