THE EFFECTIVE PROBLEMSOLVER #081
In my work as a national consultant, I’ve had the privilege of working with organizations across the country, all dedicated to making the world a better place.
But no matter where I go, I keep encountering the same challenge: a reluctance to deeply study the problem and its many interrelated causes.
As someone who grapples with complex social issues daily, I’ve seen firsthand how skipping this crucial step can derail even the most well-intentioned initiatives.
Problem mapping, as I outline in my Simple Guide to Problem Mapping, is a straightforward, four-step process that can quickly provide a deep understanding of the structure and dynamics of a problem.
It helps us see how different factors interact, identify leverage points, and make informed decisions.
So why do so few people use it?
Today, I’ll share the 3 most common distractions preventing social sector leaders from deepening understanding and increasing effectiveness.
Then, I’ll give 3 tips for remedying the situation.
The Allure of Oversimplified Narratives
One of my clients—a well-meaning and compassionate philanthropic organization—has fully adopted the narrative that (a) all inequality is due to systematic oppression, and therefore (b) the government’s primary role is to eliminate all inequities of outcomes between different groups.
Now, while I don’t agree with this view, they are entitled to their opinion. I mention it not to judge, but rather to observe how narratives can become distorting lenses through which we view every issue.
All of their preferred solutions revolve around the idea that the government should redistribute wealth based on group identity, regardless of whether the specific policies are actually effective in the long-term.
In one instance, we were discussing strategies to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged youth. Instead of exploring the problem’s causes—like access to quality early childhood education, family stability, or community support—they jumped straight to advocating for more government investment, even though they thought existing investment wasn’t very effective.
You see, their lens for seeing the problem blinded them to how its causes could be more directly influenced.
This is the danger of oversimplified narratives: they can narrow our thinking and lead us down paths that don’t address the problem’s causes.
The Comfort of Branded Initiatives
I also have a former client who’s involved in a big, high-profile initiative—a gubernatorial advisory group on climate change on the East Coast. To outsiders and the media, it sounds incredibly impressive – CEOs and venture capitalists working on something akin to The Green New Deal.
Another neat-sounding initiative with a fresh logo and star-studded board.
But behind the scenes, my client and several other members know (and tell me) it’s nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
They attend quarterly meetings, nod along to presentations, and then go back to their day jobs. There’s no real action, no concrete steps being taken. It’s all for show—a branded initiative that looks good on paper but doesn’t actually do anything to move the needle on climate change.
This is the comfort of branded initiatives: they allow us to feel like we’re doing something meaningful, even when we’re not.
So many people who reach out to me for consulting want to go deeper, but they’re afraid to say that the emperor (i.e. the well-regarded initiative they’re participating in) has no clothes.
The Temptation of Silver Bullet Solutions
Then there’s the temptation of silver bullet solutions.
Over the past few years, I’ve watched as countless organizations have jumped on the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) bandwagon, believing that mandatory DEI trainings would “solve everything” in their company culture.
The intentions behind these efforts were undoubtedly noble.
However, evidence from 800 U.S. firms over 30 years shows that DEI trainings often don’t work as intended. In fact, they can sometimes make things worse.
But ironically, the same researchers found that a variety of specific interventions—like targeted college recruitment, mentoring programs, and self-managed teams—can have significant positive effects on diversifying the workplace, even when they aren’t labeled or thought of as “diversity” programs. These targeted, actionable strategies work because they are focused and concrete, with clear pathways to desired outcomes.
Championing the vague values behind DEI as a panacea is, like all silver bullet solutions, necessarily high-level and vague.
They promise sweeping change without laying out a clear path for how action X will lead to outcome Y. The problem isn’t with the concept of diversity itself, but with the vague thinking and unrealistic expectations that often accompany it.
In the rush to embrace DEI as a cure-all (or, as we’ve seen most recently, companies dropping all DEI as a cure-all), organizations may overlook the need for a more thoughtful, structured approach—one that maps out the specific challenges they face and identifies the most effective interventions to address them.
This is where problem mapping can make all the difference.
Shifting the Focus to Applied Problem Study
So, how do we move beyond these pitfalls and make problem mapping a common practice? It starts with changing the focus:
1. From Oversimplified Narratives to Structured Understanding: Instead of jumping to conclusions based on a dominant narrative, take the time to map out the problem. Identify not just the immediate causes, but also the underlying factors that sustain them. By understanding the structure of the problem, you can develop solutions that address more fundamental drivers of the problem rather than just the symptoms.
2. From Branded Initiatives to Genuine Collaboration: Initiatives should be built on a shared understanding of the problem, with all stakeholders genuinely committed to making the necessary changes. This requires moving beyond superficial agreements and ensuring that everyone involved has a deep, shared understanding of the issue and a commitment to addressing it.
3. From Silver Bullet Solutions to Systemic Approaches: Rather than looking for a quick fix or adopting the issue du jour, focus on identifying leverage points within the system that can create meaningful change. This involves studying the problem’s first and second-order causes and exploring how they can be influenced over time. It’s not about finding a single solution (no matter how good it sounds), but about understanding the system well enough to make informed, strategic interventions.
Taking Action: Problem Mapping with Trusted Advisors
To start making problem mapping a part of your approach, gather a small group of your most trusted advisors and use my Simple Guide to Problem Mapping (only 4 steps).
Begin with a focused problem that your organization is trying to address.
Together, sketch out the different factors influencing the issue on a whiteboard, asking key questions:
- What are the immediate causes?
- What second-order causes are reinforcing these causes?
- Where are the potential leverage points?
By the end of the session, you’ll have a clearer picture of the problem’s structure and a better idea of where to focus your efforts.
In the end, the reason problem mapping is uncommon is that it requires us to slow down and resist the urge for quick fixes.
But if we’re serious about making progress on the tough social issues we care about, it’s a step we can’t afford to skip.
The cost of not doing so is simply too high.
See you in two weeks.
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Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways I can help you:
→ I’m a strategic advisor for the toughest societal problems like poverty, crime and homelessness. People come to me when they want to stop spinning their wheels and get transformative, systems-level change.
→ I’m a coach for emerging and executive leaders in the social and public sectors who want to make progress on their biggest goals and challenges.
Let’s find out how I can help you become transformational.