David Komlos - Cracking Complexity: The Breakthrough Formula for Solving Just About Anything Fast

The formula is a very fascinating, unique format which as of today is easily the best return on time and money I have ever experienced.

Mike Crichton, Head of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Sandoz

Cracking Complexity is the first book that takes on the daunting task of architecting a systematic approach to leveraging serendipity. Komlos and Benjamin detail the many scientific and sociological breakthroughs in addressing complexity to provide a compelling case for how organizations can tackle a future where the ability to simplify and manage complexity will be the crucible of success. Required reading for every CEO!

Tom Koulopoulos, Chairman, Delphi Group

The formula is truly a breakthrough for engaging the organization in solving big challenges with speed and agility.

Cathy Nash, CEO, Woodforest National Bank

The formula created an inflection point for our company. We quickly won our peoples hearts and minds for new levels of growth and performance.

Bob Guillocheau, Chairman and CEO, Ascensus

Cracking Complexity: The Breakthrough Formula for Solving Just About Anything Fast. Really?! Yes, REALLY! This formula has been used for some very complex issues by some very large companies. I think there will be a lot more of that now. But, I also see where this concept can be used for smaller complex problems. I plan to use it in my consulting business, and just in aspects of life.

Dr. Mark Goulston

Working with the Davids and using the techniques described in this book we transformed two of our businesses, one in Canada, the other in Europe, with outstanding results to our revenues and margins. Key to the approach is the involvement of staff in the process which for us really enhanced the quality, engagement and speed of implementation of our new strategy. I think anyone addressing complex business issues will find this book of immense value.

Mark Jones, ex Company President and CEO of AstraZeneca Canada;
President AstraZeneca UK and Global Vice President Southern Europe

I love the ten steps in Cracking Complexity: The Breakthrough Formula for Solving Just About Anything Fast. If youve ever tried simplifying anything, you realize that its a lot easier said than done, particularly if you aim not to lose the intent, expressed or implied value, or the story you need the audience to hear. Unfortunately, much of our enterprises have often become unnecessarily complicated, and Im a huge fan of elegant ways to construct really good questions, localizing the solvers, and putting people on a collision course; just a few of the gems in this book. Kudos to Komlos and Benjamin. Well done!

David Nour, best-selling author of Relationship Economics, Return on Impact and Co-Create

Over the last 12 years, David Benjamin and David Komlos approach to complexity has had a unique impact on our work transforming and advancing Canadas national blood system, allowing us not only to deliver life-saving products and services effectively, but importantly to drive deep value into the health systems in which we operate.

Dr. Graham Sher, CEO, Canadian Blood Services

My goal for any book that I read is to glean at least one good idea. Cracking Complexity delivers that one idea, and it is a big one. The authors break down their Complexity Formula, teaching how to gain clarity from the complicated and complex. The result is confident decision making that will take you and your organization to the next level.

Shep Hyken, New York Times bestselling author of The Amazement Revolution

There are much faster ways to achieve greater impact on the big challenges than what many of us are familiar with. This book shows the way.

Guy Jarvis, Executive Vice President, Enbridge, Inc.

What if chaos can be a source of your competitive advantage? This groundbreaking book provides a proven formula for leveraging complexity to drive unpredictable yet sustainable results.

Stephen Shapiro, author, Best Practices are Stupid

When youre confronted with the paradox that more data, more info, more knowledge doesnt lead to better decision making, where can you look for the answer? Cracking Complexity lights the path to clarity. Its not just a book, its a toolbox, effective in simplifying the many complex aspects of life, not just business. So much so, I can hear myself think again.

Kristi Faulkner, President, Womenkind

I loved the way the authors used three avatars, with real life problems, to explain steps as they proceeded through the book. If you want to understand a formula for solving complex issues, you need that kind of story-telling to have it sink in.

Dr. Ivan Misner, NY Times bestselling author and Founder of BNI

First published in 2019 by Nicholas Brealey Publishing

An imprint of John Murray Press

A Hachette UK company

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Copyright David Komlos and David Benjamin

The right of David Komlos and David Benjamin to be identified as the Authors of the Work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018959160

ISBN 978-1-473-68564-2

US eBook ISBN 978-1-473-68566-6

UK eBook ISBN 978-1-473-68565-9

Printed and bound in the United States of America

John Murray Press policy is to use papers that are natural, renewable, and recyclable products and made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The logging and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

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Nicholas Brealey Publishing

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T HE FOCUS OF Cracking Complexity and the Complexity Formula at its core is on groups, not individuals. But when it comes to changing the world, disrupting a market, fending off disruption, fixing a relationship, and all the other complex challenges weve discussed and omitted, it takes one determined individual to get the ball rolling.

This book is dedicated to you and people like you who in each case want to, have to, or are forced to step up to something really big and important, against odds for success. This book is for you, with the hope that your first step will be acknowledging the complexity as you power up to compel the worlds latent talent to collectively form the megabrains that pave the way in our era of unrelenting opportunity.

W E OWE A DEBT OF THANKS to all of the thought leaders and pioneers in the domains of systems thinking, complexity theory, and management cybernetics. (Especially Stafford Beer, his team of developers and users, and Fredmund Malik, who collectively set us on the course to developing and commercializing our own implementation of the Formula.)