My newsletters often delve into the unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies and cautionary tales of what not to do.
Yet, in comments from my subscribers week to week, I hear the call for more practical advice.
People at work in the trenches want something more than ideas.
They want something tangible – like a toolkit that can be applied amidst the daily grind of work.
Today, I’m going to introduce a transformative mindset that’s all about abandoning the orthodoxy of what you should do.
What it offers instead is an approach based on a suite of tools that help to decode complexity and come to reasonable conclusions about how to make progress.
And to get you started – immediately – I’m going to outline four tools that my clients love using to make progress where they’ve previously failed.
Let’s dive in.
The complexity mindset is more than systems thinking
The complexity mindset is an approach to problem-solving that embraces the inherent complexity of societal issues.
It involves recognizing that many problems are dynamic, interconnected, and influenced by a multitude of factors, making them resistant to linear and reductionist solutions.
If you regularly read my newsletter, these problem characteristics will sound familiar.
However, one thing sets the complexity approach apart from traditional systems thinking.
You see, most systems thinkers tend to diagnose complexity and then tell you the right way to deal with it.
Usually that involves bringing people together and naively believing that everyone is going to agree on a “systems solution” once they understand how things really work.
Except, if you’ve ever sat in a big stakeholder group meeting where the facilitators have “the real solution” in their back pocket the whole time, it can start to feel like a big charade.
The complexity mindset, according to David Colander and Roland Kupers in their book “Complexity and the Art of Public Policy” , is different because it insists that there are no rules on how to deal with problems, nor general solutions that always work.
As they say,
“Complexity policy is contextual, and consists of a set of tools, not a set of rules, that help the policy maker to come to reasonable conclusions.”
Goodbye right answers (and following those who think they have them).
Hello toolbox.
Why tools beat rules
In dynamic and uncertain situations, tools outperform rules by offering adaptability, flexibility, and a diverse approach to problem-solving.
Tools allow for iterative adjustments, accommodate complexity, stimulate creativity, and enable context-specific decision-making, building resilience to unpredictable changes.
Unlike rigid rules, a toolbox approach recognizes the need for continuous learning and acknowledges the unique challenges posed by evolving dynamics.
You can think of tools as your problem-solving buddies.
They’re flexible, adaptable, and don’t mind changing their game plan on the fly.
And never stuck in one way of doing things.
Instead, they’re more like a trusty Swiss army knife that’s handy in any situation.
Utilizing practical tools today
I’d love to give you a cohesive, strategic, and hands-on approach to complex problem-solving that integrates a suite of actionable tools.
By using it, you would gain a comprehensive understanding of your community’s most pressing challenges, and discover ways to make consistent, reliable progress.
But my new, online course – which lays out exactly this type of pragmatic approach – won’t be ready until later this year.
Stay tuned for more details.
In the meantime, here are 4 complexity-minded tools that I regularly use with my clients.
Tool #1: Problem Mapping Guide
- Traditional rule: Create a map of “the system” and then decide how you want to change the system.
- Why the rule doesn’t work: It focuses on changing systems, usually through top-down rules, rather than solving problems.
- What the tool does: It helps you gain understanding of how the problem functions so you can determine the most effective way to influence it.
- Link: Problem Mapping Guide
Tool #2: Stakeholder Prominence and Support Tools
- Traditional rule: Bring all stakeholders together to see if you can get consensus or agreement on what to do
- Why the rule doesn’t work: Being naively inclusive leads to mistrust, disagreement and gridlock. Also, consensus doesn’t equal effectiveness.
- What the tool does: It helps you determine what each stakeholder wants, measure how important their role is to the issue at hand, and gauge how they should be engaged based on potential for support.
- Link: Stakeholder Tools
Tool #3: Fundamental Objectives Hierarchy
- Traditional rule: Adopt an uplifting vision statement and mission about solving the problem once and for all.
- Why the rule doesn’t work: High-level and vague statements leave unanswered questions about what exactly should be accomplished and for whom. As a result, it’s difficult to gauge how any given actions would translate into making meaningful progress.
- What the tool does: Establish a clear hierarchy of objectives, ensuring that efforts align with overarching goals. This tool also helps in prioritizing actions for maximum impact.
- Link:Fundamental Objectives Hierarchy
Tool #4: Bathtub Analogy (aka stock and flow diagram)
- Traditional rule: Choose metrics and do whatever it takes to change the quantity of the problem.
- Why the rule doesn’t work: Changing the problem’s quantity doesn’t address the problem’s underlying structure or behavior.
- What the tool does: Aids in recognizing how underlying structural elements shape problem behaviors and long-term outcomes.
- Link: Bathtub analogy
TLDR
For complex problems with many variables and dynamic change, forget strict rules.
Grab a diverse toolkit, embrace complexity, and make context-driven decisions.
See you next week.
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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.
