There are three kinds of problems that we encounter in our organizations. Simple problems, complicated problems, and complex problems. Correctly identifying which kind of problem you have to solve will save you time and resources. If you have a simple problem and treat it as complex you will waste time and resources. If you treat a complex problem like a complicated one, there may be unintended consequences that cause new problems.
The importance of defining which kind of problem you are facing was first brought to our attention in the excellent book Getting to Maybe: How the World is Changed, essential reading for grant-makers, philanthropists, organizations, governments, businesses, and anyone working to drive change in the world.
Simple problems as defined in the book are solved like following a recipe almost anyone can follow. These solutions are easily replicated and by “developing and repeating” basic skills they can be mastered and produce similar results every time.
Complicated problems are more labor and process intensive. There are generally multiple moving parts that depend on each other. They require experts, coordination, frameworks and blueprints to succeed. But once these intricate details, logistics and inputs are determined, gathered and sequenced correctly, there is a high degree of certainty that the endeavor will succeed and that if repeated, it would succeed again. Coordinating an annual awards ceremony might fall into this category. It requires multiple levels of expertise from marketing to content knowledge to relationship management to event production. It needs people to coordinate logistics and project managers to hold all the pieces together and make sure things are moving forward. When assembled and planned properly, however, it can be successfully pulled off with consistency.
Complex problems are the ones without a clear path and multiple plausible approaches. Likened to raising a child, these problems tend to defy any standard planning that can be replicated. Expertise is helpful, but so is the ability to be responsive and adaptable to changing circumstances and new information, sensitive to evolving relationships, and deft at navigating imbalances of expertise, decision-making power, and authority. Complex problems are challenging because they contain too many variables to easily predict others’ reactions or accurately know the outcomes of our actions. This uncertainty can create tension, as it goes against our desire to assert control in our lives and to feel confident about how to solve organizational problems.
Imagine the change you are trying to make in the world and the plan you have to make it happen. You’ve examined the landscape, built the team and the outside relationships, plotted your course collectively, and anticipated the barriers. However, with every step forward and back, with every piece of progress achieved, the landscape is altered and the drivers of change and leverage points are affected. Change occurs with every step forward, which means you’ll have to re-evaluate the path to get there, even if the goal remains steady.
“Single individuals, single actions and single organizations all play a part, but it is the subtle rules of engagement, between and among the elements, that is the force that seems to give initiatives a life of their own. In other words, complex systems comprise relationships. Relationships exist between things. You can point at things, but you can’t point at relationships. They are literally hard to see.”
Too often senior leaders identify complex problems as complicated ones. This leads to frustration across teams and an inefficient use of resources and time to solve a problem that demands a new approach, not an off the shelf plan.
In addressing our most pressing problems, it is usually the complex challenges that require time to develop creative solutions. And yet we find ourselves drawn to the simple and complicated, because it’s so hard to wrap our minds around the uncertainty and meandering nature of outcomes and the unpredictability of relationships.
Simply put, when problems are simple, leaders can delegate to free up time. Help the person understand the recipe, take time to teach it to them, and then let them cook.
For the complicated, leaders must make good decisions about partnerships and leveraging expertise, understand the strengths and assets of their staff and board, and keep take a birds-eye view. It requires stepping back to think, map and assemble the right team, but once you’ve figured out how to focus and allocate your resources, you’ll know that your effort is poised to be efficient and effective.
For the complex, it’s about having a strong mission and clear purpose to keep you focused on the big picture, even as the external environment evolves. Clear and shared values that guide your team’s interactions and decisions will allow for adjustments in plans and approach, as you adapt to changing circumstances and new information.
Leaders who know which problems they face and take the time to figure out the optimal approach will find there are fewer frustrations, less resistance, more ‘flow’ and greater success in meeting your goals.