THE EFFECTIVE PROBLEMSOLVER #073
In the realm of change-making, there exists a crucial dichotomy between solution-minded and resolution-minded approaches.
For over a decade, I stumbled through with the solution-minded approach, grappling with fleeting successes that never seemed to match my vision.
But amidst failure and setbacks, I unearthed a profound insight that transformed my perspective and efficacy as a change agent.
Let me briefly share this journey so you can avoid my mistakes. Along the way, you’ll learn the pitfalls of loving solutions and promoting systems change, and discover why the resolution-minded approach is more reliably effective.
Let’s dive in.
The changemaker journey
The simplest way to share my story is to divide it into 4 phases:
Phase I: The visionary – when I pursued utopian schemes with rhetoric and ineffective activism. Classic youth stuff.
Phase II: The systems changer – when I successfully crafted statewide workforce policy for two governors, and then lobbied on behalf of a dozen foundations. With political power and money behind me, I thought we could solve problems once and for all. But I was wrong.
Phase III: The failure – when I realized that my solution-minded vision was flawed, and that all of the systems change successes I’d helped create – in my state and around the country – didn’t create lasting outcomes. Most solutions, however lauded by funders and think tanks, fail to make problems go away.
Phase IV: The resolver – when I discovered the nature of complex problems and how they can (and can’t) be influenced. I stopped solution-mongering and settled for effectiveness.
Letting go
But how did I move from total failure in Phase III to effective changemaking in Phase IV?
Many factors contributed, but perhaps none more than letting go of my vision for changing the world.
You see, in the social sector there is a major difference between solution-minded and resolution-minded approaches.
For over a decade, I stumbled through, always trying to get from “what is” to “what ought to be.”
The solution-minded change maker, adorned with ambition and zeal, embarks on this journey fueled by a singular vision for change.
The world – or the system, or whatever – should be as they want it.
They meticulously curate a set of solutions, armed with the conviction that implementation is the panacea to societal woes.
Yet, as I learned through countless trials, this approach is akin to navigating a labyrinth blindfolded, bound to stumble upon dead ends and pitfalls.
Solution-minded visions can blind us to reality.
Problems aren’t about what changemakers want.
The resolution-minded approach
Contrastingly, the resolution-minded change maker adopts a more nuanced and introspective stance.
Instead of fixating solely on their vision, they open themselves to the messy and unsatisfying challenges woven by society.
They immerse themselves in the details of these problems, dissecting their anatomy and unraveling their underlying causes.
This arduous process of study and reflection births an intimate understanding of the nuances and complexities inherent in social problems like poverty, crime and homelessness.
And reality is tough, a bit tragic.
To quote Thomas Sowell,
“There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.”
But the crux of enlightenment lies not merely in understanding problems, but in catalyzing effective change.
Armed with a clear view of reality, the resolution-minded change maker embarks on a journey of co-creation, collaborating with stakeholders to craft adaptive processes to tackle these challenges.
They eschew the allure of quick fixes, recognizing that complex problems defy simple, one-time solutions.
At the heart of this paradigm shift lies a fundamental realization:
Complex problems are not adversaries to be conquered but dynamic entities to be managed and navigated.
They defy the constraints of linear thinking, morphing and evolving over time.
Hence, the true mark of mastery lies not in eradication but in orchestration, in fostering resilience and adaptability in the face of perpetual change.
Thus, resolution-minded means settling for a collaborative journey to manage and improve problems over time.
It’s not as sexy as “solving” problems tomorrow, but it’s much more effective.
TLDR
Let go of your vision for change. Instead, seek a deep understanding of the problem.
Stop brainstorming solutions. Instead, pursue problem resolution by co-designing processes to manage and improve the problem over time.
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.