When I hit “send” on the very first issue of The Effective Problemsolver, I didn’t know where it would lead.
I just knew this: the way we talk about social change is broken.
And too often, so are our strategies.
Now—100 newsletters later—this community has grown into something I’m proud of.
You’ve shown up with curiosity, pushed back with thoughtful disagreement, and shared these ideas with peers, funders, electeds, organizers, and neighbors.
If these ideas have sparked something for you, please forward this to someone who’d benefit—and if someone sent this to you, you can join us here → bryanlindsley.com/newsletter
Today’s issue is both a celebration and a gift back to you.
It’s a curated collection of the most controversial, most loved and most useful tools, guides, and provocations from this entire journey.
🔥 Most Controversial
These posts poked the bear—and sparked strong reactions, deep questions, and, in some cases, heated debates. Proceed with curiosity:
- 🏠 Housing First and The Perils of “Evidence-Based” Advocacy
Why we should be more honest about what evidence can (and can’t) do.
Read it → - 🤝 The Conspiracy for Success (or, Hiding Failure)
How feel-good metrics and success theater stop us from learning.
Read it → - ✨ Enough of North Star Metrics Already
Why “inspiring” metrics can distort progress.
Read it → - 🧱 Why Top-Down Change Fails (and Bottom-Up Succeeds)
Powerful strategies don’t start with command-and-control.
Read it → - ⚖️ Your Favorite Value Isn’t the Most Important Thing
How pluralism beats moral certainty in complex systems.
Read it → - 🧛♂️ The Transformation of Good Ideas into Vampires
Why popular solutions can become unkillable and unhelpful.
Read it →
💌 Most Loved
These are the greatest hits—the ones people opened, shared, bookmarked, and emailed me about. If you’re new, start here:
- 🔁 The Mistake Made by Most Changemakers (Including Me)
What we all get wrong at the beginning.
Read it → - 🛡️ Your Strategy Is Defeatable. It Shouldn’t Be.
Designing strategies that adapt, not collapse.
Read it → - ⚙️ Optimal Solutions Kill Impact. Here’s a Better Approach.
When good intentions lead to rigidity and failure.
Read it → - 📈 Three Lies About Scaling Impact (And the Actual Truth)
A reality check for anyone building a big vision.
Read it → - 🌊 Decoding the Secrets of Complex Problems in a Bathtub
Structure determines behavior—especially in systems.
Read it → - 🥊 How to Embrace a Strategy That Never Loses
A practical way to stay effective under any condition.
Read it → - 💥 The Risks of Overhyping (And Scaling) Success
Why your success story might set others up to fail.
Read it → - 🧩 Breaking Free from ‘No Silver Bullet’ Excuses
Stop hiding behind complexity—start learning through it.
Read it → - 🔍 The Cost of Narrow Focus: Why Optimizing Problems Backfires
Why being “efficient” with the wrong thing hurts.
Read it → - 🧠 Who Will Win: The Mastermind or the System Whisperer?
A short tale of two changemakers—and a hard truth.
Read it →
🛠️ Most Popular Resources (Bookmark These)
These tools and guides have helped thousands of readers make progress with real-world complexity. They’re simple, practical, and free to use:
- 🧰 No-Bullshit Systems Change: All You Need in Just 10 Minutes
Cut through the noise. Get clear on what matters.
Read it → - 📚 35 Greatest Systems Thinking Books of All Time
Curated for people solving problems—not just reading about them.
Explore the list → - 🗺️ The Simple Guide to Problem Mapping (Only 4 Steps)
Get unstuck by mapping cause and effect—fast.
Use the guide →
Help Grow This Community of Real-World Changemakers
If you’ve found this newsletter valuable, please share it.
Send it to a colleague, post it on LinkedIn, or forward it to your team.
This isn’t just about growing numbers.
It’s about building a community of changemakers who think differently—people who want to become more effective, not just more certain.
👉 Sign up for The Effective Problemsolver (if you’re not already)
—or forward this email to someone who needs it.
Thank You—and Let’s Keep Going
Thank you for reading. For thinking. For sharing. For working on problems that matter.
The world needs more people like you—people who ask better questions, who resist easy answers, and who care enough to get a little uncomfortable in service of real progress.
P.S.
Several beta testers have now been through my forthcoming online course on how to consistently make progress on complex problems. I’m reworking a few things based on their feedback, and planning for a public release in September.
Stay subscribed for early access, launch details, and subscriber-only offers.
Let’s keep building this together.
Let’s keep solving.
With gratitude,
Bryan
