THE EFFECTIVE PROBLEMSOLVER #084
When I first started working on complex social issues, I believed deeply in the power of control. Whether it was through policy development, lobbying, or large-scale fundraising, I had the instinct to get all the right pieces in place, push hard, and force change. I thought that with enough resources and coordination, we could solve the problem.
But over time, I realized just how wrong that belief was. In fact, some of my most painful failures came from trying to control systems that were far more dynamic and resistant than I had anticipated. The more I tried to drive outcomes, the more the system pushed back, often in ways I hadn’t expected.
It took me years (and some humbling lessons) to understand that control, in the world of complex systems, is often an illusion. Social issues like homelessness, workforce development, and poverty are shaped by countless variables, feedback loops, and unpredictable behaviors. Trying to force these systems into submission often leads to unintended consequences.
What I’ve come to embrace instead is the power of influence and adaptation. Letting go of the need to control everything doesn’t mean giving up—it means understanding how systems work, where to apply gentle pressure, and how to adapt to the changes that inevitably come.
In today’s newsletter, we’ll explore how this shift from control to adaptation plays out in 3 real-world examples, and why letting go can sometimes be the best strategy for creating lasting change.
Example 1: The Affordable Housing Push
Consider a city facing a rising homelessness crisis. In response, policymakers propose a sweeping plan to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for subsidized and affordable housing. On the surface, this seems like a clear, impactful strategy: more housing should reduce the number of people living on the streets.
However, when we look deeper, we see that homelessness is often driven by more than just a lack of housing. Surveys of homeless individuals repeatedly highlight more fundamental causes like domestic violence, substance abuse, and untreated mental health issues as significant contributors. Building more affordable housing addresses only part of the problem.
What happens if those underlying issues aren’t addressed? The system pushes back. Even as new housing is built, the inflow of people into homelessness continues—or even increases—because the root causes aren’t resolved. As a result, despite the investment, the city finds itself in the same crisis, with housing efforts outpaced by demand.
The lesson: You can’t control the system by focusing on one lever. In complex systems like homelessness, deeper dynamics are always at play. Letting go of the illusion that housing alone will solve the problem is the first step to understanding the full scope of the system—and adapting strategies accordingly.
Example 2: The Workforce Development Disconnect
A well-meaning workforce development initiative sets a goal of helping low-income individuals access stable, middle-skill jobs. The program invests in job training, builds partnerships with local employers, and establishes job placement targets. Success is measured by how many people are placed in jobs.
But soon, cracks begin to appear. Many participants drop out of the training or fail to hold down jobs for long. The problem? The initiative, while well-intentioned, is disconnected from the broader social ecosystem. Participants struggle with barriers like unreliable childcare, long commutes, and health issues, none of which are addressed by the program.
The system pushes back. Because the initiative focuses narrowly on job training and placement, it misses the interconnected social factors that are crucial for long-term success. Had the initiative taken a broader, adaptive approach—recognizing that employment outcomes depend on factors like transportation, family support, and healthcare—it might have designed interventions to support participants more holistically.
The lesson: Systems are interconnected, and trying to control one part without considering the broader context often leads to failure. Letting go of the narrow focus on job placement and adapting to the broader social ecosystem could have yielded more sustainable results.
Example 3: Beyond the North Star Metric: Creating Learning Communities
Many organizations are drawn to the idea of a North Star metric—a single, bold goal like reducing poverty by 50% in five years. The thinking goes that if everyone aligns around this one outcome, success will follow.
But in complex systems, setting rigid outcomes can create tunnel vision. It forces everyone to prioritize one goal at the expense of other important factors and ignores the dynamic nature of social systems, where conditions and feedback loops are constantly shifting.
Instead of trying to control the system by focusing on one big outcome, a more effective approach is to create learning communities. These communities bring together practitioners to experiment, reflect, and share insights, focusing on incrementally improving across multiple key metrics, such as employment stability, mental health access, and housing retention.
As these small improvements accumulate over time, they can lead to significant impact. Additionally, the relationships built within these learning communities create synergies—new collaborations and solutions that may be far more transformative than any fixed North Star goal. The key is to embrace continuous learning and adaptation rather than holding tightly to one utopian outcome.
The lesson: Complex systems resist rigid goals. By letting go of control and fostering adaptive learning communities, organizations can remain responsive to changing conditions and drive more meaningful, lasting change.
Letting Go: The Highest Form of Control?
What ties these examples together is the recognition that control is often an illusion in complex systems. The more we try to force outcomes through rigid plans or singular interventions, the more the system pushes back. Instead of control, what we need is influence—the ability to adapt, respond, and learn from the system as it evolves.
Letting go doesn’t mean giving up. It means understanding the dynamics of the system, recognizing our limitations, and being willing to adjust our strategies as new information emerges. This adaptive approach can often be more powerful than the most carefully planned interventions.
In a world where we’re constantly encouraged to take control, the real power may lie in knowing when to let go.
See you in two weeks.
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P.S. Word to the wise: My upcoming online course, Impact OS: Decision-Making Strategies for Resolving Wicked Problems, builds on the ideas in this newsletter. It’s about letting go of the illusion of control and mastering the art of influence within complex systems.
By blending the visionary, big-picture thinking of the Systems Mastermind with the adaptive, responsive approach of the Systems Whisperer, Impact OS gives you the tools to make progress, even when systems push back. Whether you’re working within large-scale initiatives or grassroots efforts, this course helps you harness the power of flexibility, continuous learning, and strategic adaptation to drive real, sustainable change.
Stay tuned to The Effective Problem Solver for more details on the release later in 2024!