Grow Your Impact With Complex Problem-Solving Skills
Learn to resolve homelessness, climate change, and other complex challenges with strategies based on systems thinking and complexity science.
Want to join us? The Effective Problemsolver gives one actionable tip for nonprofits, government and philanthropy every other Tuesday. Always 4 minutes or less. ↓
Hi, I’m Bryan Lindsley.
I help social and public sector leaders become more effective by teaching them how to understand and influence complex problems.
We all want to make more impact, help more people, and solve tough challenges—but too often, despite our best efforts, we fall short.
Not because we don’t care or aren’t trying hard enough—but because we’re often missing how the problem truly works.
What actually moves the needle isn’t working harder. It’s changing how we see the problem.
Using tools from systems thinking and complexity science, I help leaders decode the underlying dynamics of the issues they face—so they can stop chasing surface-level fixes and start making real progress.
Whether you’re new to this work or deeply experienced, the ability to understand a complex problem—and let it show you how it can be influenced—is the most powerful asset you can have.
Enough with top-down templates and outside “solutions.”
The problem itself holds the clues.
I’ll help you see them.
Recent issues of The Effective Problemsolver
“Bryan is solid systems change leader. His ability to engage in thought partnership on how to think about complex problems was critical to our systems change work.”
“Bryan was a pleasure to work with. I found him to be a strategic thinker and a professional committed to system change as well as developing a system that would address the needs of most marginalized community members. His tireless and visionary leadership on solving complex problems is contagious and indispensable.”
“Bryan was instrumental in driving systems change. The data insights he brought forward were very powerful. His leadership and talent as a true collaborative partner was invaluable.”
“Bryan’s leadership enabled our funder collaborative to change state-level policies and funding practices. He helped us to continually adapt to the political and economic context, while also challenging us to learn from the lived experiences of the people we aimed to help. I appreciated his sense of how to advance systems-change strategies in complex and changing environments.”
“I personally enjoyed working with Bryan as he brought a very rigorous and practical approach to problems that often seemed insurmountable. His leadership and systematic approach helped us to develop strategy and viable solutions.”
“I’ve enjoyed working with Bryan. He is a strategic thinker and leader. Over the years I’ve seen his passion, expertise and leadership make a huge impact with change initiatives that have made our community stronger.
“Bryan’s leadership in helping our organization address complex social and structural impediments to improved workforce development contributed significantly to our members’ successes in regions around the country. Our team thoroughly enjoyed working with and learning systems changes strategies from Bryan.”
“Bryan’s work is transformative. He expertly uses work tools to encourage teamwork between big systems, driving them to tasks, goals and results. Getting to results is all about work tools that guide teamwork. Call on Bryan Lindsley for those.”
“It was a privilege to work and learn with Bryan. He is an excellent thought leader, facilitator and educator with deep experience supporting system improvement, planning and assessment efforts.”
“Bryan’s focused leadership for our funders collaborative brought forward critical data analysis that we used to methodically assess our direction and progress. His ability to analyze complex systems and target strategic change opportunities helped us add value and shift public will.”
“Working with Bryan has been impactful for my personal leadership. He is an excellent listener. We worked at my pace, but he also nudged me toward my goals when needed. He has a keen ability to develop personalized leadership strategy that is clear, focused and nimble.”
“Bryan is an amazing thought partner and coach. He supported us through a complex systems change project, offering invaluable insights and practical tools for strategic problem analysis and action planning. His thoughtful and encouraging approach has made our endeavors more successful as we grapple with the long-haul work of enabling diverse stakeholders to collaborate and change interrelated practices for greater impact.”
“Working with Bryan as a coach was an excellent experience for me. His support deepened and expanded my thinking about the work in which I was engaged, and therefore noticeably my overall effectiveness. For me, it’s hard to find higher praise than somebody supporting my effectiveness in a highly valued way. Bryan provided a variety of thought partnership I needed on a challenging engagement, for which I remain grateful.”
