Post 6: Complexity, Chaos, and Nonlinear Dynamics: A New Perspective on Career Development Theory

I would just like to start off this week’s post by saying that I enjoyed the discussion last week about the article on synchronicity.  After reading the article, I felt very skeptical about the whole idea.  However, after the discussions; my skeptical feelings started to disappear and I was able to understand the concept a lot better.  Synchronicity is something that cannot really be created and one is never sure if and when it will happen.  I feel that it is important for career counselors to be aware of the concept and open to accepting what it has to offer.  If that happens, career counselors will be able to better help their clients understand their experiences of synchronicity.  Even if the door is open slightly, a major change could occur.

I felt that the idea of small changes yielding large results was an important aspect of this week’s article on complexity, chaos, and nonlinear dynamics.  I just feel that some people may not recognize the small changes or need guidance in making the changes, thus leaving them stuck in a career which may be unsatisfying.  People are afraid of change because of the unknown that may come along with that change.  People may also feeling out of control when faced with an unpredictable situation, because let’s face; we all would like to think that we have our lives and careers under control.   Bloch stated that, “In this border between stability and change, life is unpredictable.  Small differences in initial conditions, as well as small changes in environment, may result in widely different results” (Bloch, 2005, pg. 198).   If people facing career decisions could embrace the period between order and chaos, then maybe to the door could open and lead them to a more satisfying career.

I felt the case study in this article was realistic and did a nice job of illustrating the complexity theory.  It was also a good example of how somewhat of a small change can yield a larger result.  Marion felt stuck in her administrative positions within her company and missed the one-on-one time she had with clients.  At first, she felt that she needed a new career altogether; but then the door was open to her and the light bulb went off.  She did not have to leave the field for something new, all she needed to do was get back into counseling clients full-time.   Her change of going back to her clients yielded a bigger change which was ultimately her job satisfaction.    

The article had good implications for practicing career counseling while using this theory.  One of the implications was, “Help clients understand the power of small changes and help them identify those they might attempt” (Bloch, 2005, pg. 204).  Counselors should help their clients recognize small changes and help them through the period of uncertainty in their careers and career decision making processes. 

Bloch, D. (2005). Complexity, chaos, and nonlinear dynamics: A new perspective on career development theory. The career development quarterly, 53, 194-207.