To Do Our Part
In their book, Exploring Wicked Problems, What they Are and Why They Are Important, Joseph Bentley and Michael Toth explain the difference between “wicked problems,” those that are “complex, messy and unpredictable” and “tame problems,” those that have solutions and can be solved.[1] Using climate change or global warming as an example for a wicked problem they explain that “wicked problems can never be truly solved”[2] as we have not been able to name climate change correctly, there is no clear solution to the problem only better or worse responses,[3] and we, humans are a major part of the problem![4] To solve climate change is impossible. There are too many contributing factors, too many layers to understand, and too many humans with their own thoughts, opinions, feelings and behaviors.
It’s enough to make me want to go back to bed, pull the covers over my head, and pretend it will go away on its own…but my feelings of overwhelm and desire to ignore it, are part of what make it a wicked problem.
Leadership, NPOs and Wicked Problems
In my inspectional reading of this book, it seems to me that a task of leadership then is to pull back the viewfinder to try to see the larger problem, do the research to understand and articulate the problem, and then figure out what I can do and what I can lead others to do to make the situation a little bit better.
I believe that in our readings and blog posts we are attempting to do some of this. We are learning about wicked problems that face our society, such as Cancel Culture, the rise of AI, Identity Politics, the misuse of capitalism. We are practicing naming and understanding some of the wicked problems we see in the world through our NPOs. Our NPOs also help us to “create an actionable problem” by “claiming a small part of the mess that is not only interesting to us but seems to be something we can actually do something about.”[5] The projects that evolve from our NPOs are the “action that will make a difference.”[6] The wicked problem we are trying to address will remain wicked, as we will not solve the entire problem, but hopefully we will “narrow the gap” inherent in the problem.[7]
I appreciated this book because it addressed the feeling of overwhelm that often cripples me as a leader. To be able to name a problem as wicked means that I can give myself permission to not have to solve the entire problem but to be able to lead people in an actionable way that will make a difference, even if the difference is miniscule.
Boiling it All Down
At the end of chapter 19, the authors provide several questions and answers. The first question is, “What if the problem is too big.” Their answer is, “The problem is always too big. Ending up with a right-sized problem means making it actionable by claiming some part of the mess.”[8] That feels way less overwhelming than trying to address the entire problem! In the book we just read, “The Canceling of the American Mind: How Cancel Culture Undermines Trust, Destroys Institutions, and Threatens Us All,” the authors, Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott addressed what is quickly becoming the world-wide problem of Cancel Culture, yet they did so by tackling Cancel Culture in America instead of trying to take on the world. More specifically, they focused on Cancel Culture in universities.[9] The authors bit off just the amount of the problem that they could actually chew.
They then pose another question that often stops me in my tracks, “What if people want different things?”[10] For a leader, their answer requires we create trusting relationships with those we are leading. They write, “What is required is the ability to move people – by persuading, convincing, and teaching them toward wanting the same things.”[11] In his definition of leadership, Northouse says basically the same thing, writing, “Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.”[12] When leading a group of people, the leader will face as many varying opinions and desires as there are people to lead. Moving people toward “wanting the same things” or a “common goal” requires building trust with the people you are trying to move so that they will follow.
In their next answer they remind us that wicked problems present us with no final answers, that “the answers that actually work are those we create ourselves.”[13] I appreciate that there are no final answers because to keep moving us forward in a better way, will require all of us to do our part. Nobody, by oneself can solve the problem, so we all must solve parts of the problem. As a Christian, this brings to mind the image of the Body of Christ. We are all responsible for part of making the whole healthy. [14] “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”[15]
Finally, they answer the question, “Is the problem us?” and their answer is, “Yes, at least part of it. Our challenge is to make changes in ourselves while at the same time we are making changes in the world.”[16] One of the outcomes of of addressing wicked problems is our own transformation. As those who try to follow Jesus, we are called to address what we can of these “wicked problems,” this, often including, what needs to be addressed in our own hearts, minds, and actions.
[1] Joseph Bently and Michael Toth, Exploring Wicked Problems, What they Are and Why They Are Important, Archway Publishing, Bloomington, IN, 2020, Scribd, 11.
[2] Ibid, 21.
[3] Ibid, 20.
[4] Ibid, 21.
[5] Ibid, 221.
[6] Ibid, 223.
[7] Ibid, 223.
[8] Ibid, 223.
[9] Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott, The Canceling of the American Mind: How Cancel Culture Undermines Trust, Destroys Institutions, and Threatens Us All, Simon and Schuster, October 2023.
[10] Joseph Bently and Michael Toth, Exploring Wicked Problems, What they Are and Why They Are Important, Archway Publishing, Bloomington, IN, 2020, Scribd, 224.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Peter G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice (London: Sage Publications, 2010) 3.
[13] Joseph Bently and Michael Toth, Exploring Wicked Problems, What they Are and Why They Are Important, Archway Publishing, Bloomington, IN, 2020, Scribd, 224.
[14] 1 Corinthians 12, NRSVUE
[15] 1 Corinthians 12:7, NRSVUE
[16] Joseph Bently and Michael Toth, Exploring Wicked Problems, What they Are and Why They Are Important, Archway Publishing, Bloomington, IN, 2020, Scribd, 224.
About the Author
Kally Elliott
Mom of four. Wanna-be Broadway star. PC(USA) pastor. Wife. Friend. Sometimes a hot mess. Sometimes somewhat together. Is this supposed to be a professional bio?11 responses to “To Do Our Part”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Hi, Kally,
You end by stating “As those who try to follow Jesus, we are called to address what we can of these “wicked problems,” this, often including, what needs to be addressed in our own hearts, minds, and actions.” This was a great way to end your well-written post. It’s not only about us doing our own part, but also owning our own stake in the problem. For example, I had to do some soul-searching as we read “The Canceling of the American Mind.” We always see it as someone else’s problem, but often things lurk in our own souls regarding how we view others or decide to not interact with them.
In another vein, I was actually inspired by this book to realize some problems may not necessarily be easily solved, but we can make progress.
I’m curious, as you read “Exploring Wicked Problems” did any specific “wicked problem” come to mind in your church context that you may see differently after reading this book?
Esther, you ask, “I’m curious, as you read “Exploring Wicked Problems” did any specific “wicked problem” come to mind in your church context that you may see differently after reading this book?” and YES, yes, I did! I saw several! For one, my NPO is a wicked problem (but then again, all of our NPOs are wicked problems). Also, I am preaching on gun violence next Sunday and have found it to be a wicked problem (duh). Our church is looking at the things we can do to address the problem though. We can’t solve it but we can partner with another local congregation to host a Guns to Gardens event once a year. We can’t solve it but we can write letters and sign petitions. We can’t solve it but we can raise awareness and preach about peacemaking, etc.
Kally, I loved this “To be able to name a problem as wicked means that I can give myself permission to not have to solve the entire problem but to be able to lead people in an actionable way that will make a difference, even if the difference is miniscule.”
Giving myself permission to not solve it all is a HUGE endeavor for me. It’s what I’m taking away from this book, the permission to solve part of a problem (in my life, my work, and my NPO).
Tim, this is where I keep getting caught up with my NPO. I can’t solve the problem. However, I can do something. This has been a learning curve for me for sure!
Thanks for this post, Kally. Your comment “a task of leadership then is to pull back the viewfinder to try to see the larger problem…” made me think back to Beerels “Rethinking Leadership” book and her call for leaders to “vertical learning” and seeing patterns… It is all tying together! Her thought on vertical learning was to spend time outside of our echo chambers to learn from others in varying contexts- I wonder if that could be a tool to use in dealing with Wicked Problems?
Thanks for a post that prompted me to think more Syntopically!
I definitely think spending time outside of our echo chambers is vital to solving wicked problems. That’s the thing about wicked problems, we have to come at them from multiple angles or perspectives. The “problem” (is this also a wicked problem) is when the other side (some of those outside the echo chamber) do not see it as a problem at all. For example: we can go outside of our echo chamber to find multiple ways to address climate change but if someone doesn’t even think climate change exists, can they be helpful in solving the wicked problem? I don’t think so – but maybe I’m wrong and need another’s perspective!
Kally,
I am drawn to this question you highlighted:
“They then pose another question that often stops me in my tracks, “What if people want different things?”
How do you as a pastor of a church, craft your sermons knowing you are preaching to a group who want different things? I realize you are teaching the Scriptures but does that ever stop you in your tracks?
Thanks for your good thinking through the book!
Hey Pam, so next Sunday I’ve been tasked with preaching about gun violence. We have a task force of session that has been working with our Peace and Justice committee to look at how our church can address gun violence, especially in light of the shooting that happened at our local Safeway. We’ve decided to partner with Antioch Church to host a Guns to Gardens event – which is a really cool event where people turn in unwanted guns, we dismantle them and a blacksmith turns it into a garden tool. Anyway, I KNOW that in preaching on this topic I will probably push some buttons. Not everybody in our congregation is on the same page about gun control. However, I do believe that we can all see that gun violence is a problem so I am trying to address the wicked problem of gun violence by naming that we don’t all agree on the topic but that we all came to church this morning because our faith fuels us to help heal the world. I am then looking at the scripture in which Jesus tells Peter to put down his sword. I am not talking about gun laws, not telling anyone they should give up their guns. I am clear that I was not raised with guns but that my dad and brothers are all of a sudden shopping for guns and that is really difficult for me to understand. Anyway, to get back to your question: I try to address difficult topics that I know will ruffle some feathers, by preaching from scripture and being honest that I don’t know everything about the topic, that I am open to learning more, that I want to hear from them too.
So, you said something I have been feeling not only during the reading of Wicked Problems, but in the reading of an upcoming book “Sway”
“It’s enough to make me want to go back to bed, pull the covers over my head, and pretend it will go away on its own…but my feelings of overwhelm and desire to ignore it, are part of what make it a wicked problem.”
While reading “Sway” I found myself becoming more and more angry and, admittedly, depressed. I could see a way forward in terms of solving the big problems in our society (and sadly, in my heart). I repeat: it caused anger and depression to bubble up. I’m not trying to be melodramatic – but honestly, I don’t know what to do.
Even in working to address my NPO, I get to points of wondering “What am I doing? How are my measly solutions gonna actually fix this?” These feelings are real, and I don’t know what to do with all of them. I wonder if Jennifer Vernams post has a helpful tip: break the problem into manageable bit-sized chunks and just go to work. I find hope in that.
John, I read your reply to my post after several hours of tossing and turning, not sleeping, because my mind was ruminating on the fact that my NPO is not going to fix anything, that I probably need to continue to tweak my NPO, that it is not going to work, that I need to drop out of the program and ministry altogether, and….. a little melodramatic perhaps, but at 3am our problems always look way worse than at 8am. Anyway, I read your post and immediately felt a sigh of relief that I am not the only one wrestling with an NPO. Thank you. And yes, Jen Vernam is always helpful, and once again, I need to take her advice to keep breaking the problem into manageable bite sized chunks and just go to work.
Your post reminds me of the old proverb where a tribe kept finding babies in the river. At first it was one or 2 and then slowly it was multiple a day. They started organizing, rescuers, nurseries, first aid, etc. to respond to the baby onslaught. Until one day a tribesman asked: “why are all these babies coming down the river?”. sometimes we get caught up in the menutia of the problem right in front of us, when what we really need to do is back up and ask “what is happening up river?”
Good Post Kally