Leading in an Era of Wicked Problems
In 1973, Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber introduced the term “wicked problem” to describe the complexities and challenges of addressing planning and social policy problems. Unlike the “tame” problems that occur in science, wicked problems lack clarity in both the problem and solution. Examples include: climate change, homelessness, border control, poverty, terrorism, and healthcare access. [1]
Stony Brook University explains the 10 characteristics that Rittel and Webber identified with wicked problems:
- They do not have a definitive formulation.
- They do not have a “stopping rule.” In other words, these problems lack an inherent logic that signals when they are solved.
- Their solutions are not true or false, only good or bad.
- There is no way to test the solution to a wicked problem.
- They cannot be studied through trial and error. Their solutions are irreversible so, as Rittel and Webber put it, “every trial counts.”
- There is no end to the number of solutions or approaches to a wicked problem.
- All wicked problems are essentially unique.
- Wicked problems can always be described as the symptom of other problems.
- The way a wicked problem is described determines its possible solutions.
- Planners, that is those who present solutions to these problems, have no right to be wrong. Unlike mathematicians, “planners are liable for the consequences of the solutions they generate; the effects can matter a great deal to the people who are touched by those actions.” [2]
In Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important, Joseph Bentley and Michael Toth emphasize the importance of identifying and understanding wicked problems to engage with the successfully. [3] Bently and Toth offer practical guidance for managing wicked problems, recognizing that while wicked problems cannot be solved, the situation can be improved with continuous effort. Finally, the authors explore how working on wicked problems can provide an opportunity for personal development, as they require an increased tolerance for confusion, conflict, controversy, and chaos.
Both Bentley and Toth are emeritus professors at the University of Utah and Portland State University, respectively. They each have decades in academia with Exploring Wicked Problems being only one of their many publications. [4][5]
Bentley and Toth lament, “When we try to fix the initial [wicked] problem, we inevitably create new and unexpected problems.” [6] As I pondered this, several wicked problems in my organization came to mind. However, wicked problems aren’t easy to solve (or explain) because of their seemingly infinite complexity. So rather than attempt to describe some of the nuanced wicked problems in my organization, I’ll defer to wicked problems that are more common to our every day lives. There are several homeless people that live in my neighborhood. I’ve stated this as if homelessness is the problem. But wicked problems can be described as a symptom of something else – so maybe the real problem is substance abuse. But then when you look at substance abuse, you also realize that substance abusers usually have a long history of physical, sexual, and/or verbal abuse and neglect in their history. They tend to have had very difficult childhoods and are repeating life patterns as their parents. So then, if abuse or neglect becomes the problem to solve, you are led to wonder why abuse and neglect happen, and you’ll find (amongst many other things) that young single mothers often have to leave their children in less-than-ideal situations in order to make ends meet. Maybe they wouldn’t have to do this if the economy were stronger or there were more services available for single mothers. Or maybe they wouldn’t have to do this if the child’s family unit stayed intact. We could follow this trail infinitely and never get ‘to the bottom of it’. We could explore education, taxes, housing, CPS, and the justice system, and only grow in the complexity of the problem. Isn’t that the problem with wicked problems? They don’t have a clear formulation and certainly don’t have a clear solution.
I’m walking away with a few additional realizations this week:
- It’s common for the leader or those they are leading to not realize they are dealing with a wicked problem, to underestimate the complexity, and to view it as a simple problem with a simple solution.
- There is pressure on leaders to solve (rather than tame) wicked problems. This can lead to dissatisfaction in leadership when they are unable to solve the problems.
- Leaders must be able to identify (and communicate on) wicked problems. If this can’t be done, there’s no chance of making any progress towards the wicked problem.
Which of these resonates with you? What else would you to add to this list?
References
[1] Rittel, Horst W. J., and Melvin M. Webber. “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning.” Policy Sciences 4, no. 2 (June 1973): 155–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01405730.
[2] Stony Brook University. “What’s a Wicked Problem?” Accessed February 23, 2025. https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/wicked-problem/about/What-is-a-wicked-problem.
[3] Bentley, Jospeh, and Michael Toth. Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important. Bloomington: Archway Publishing, 2020.
[4] Taming Wicked Problems. “About Joe Bentley,” n.d. https://tamingwickedproblems.com/about-joe-bentley/.
[5] Portland State University. “MICHAEL A. TOTH PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY.” Accessed February 23, 2025. https://web.pdx.edu/~tothm/index.htm.
[6] Bentley & Toth, 53.
About the Author
Christy
8 responses to “Leading in an Era of Wicked Problems”
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Hi Christy. Thanks for your review on Rittel and Webber, and also for your excellent takeaways.
You highlight the importance of leaders recognising and communicating the complexity of wicked problems. In your experience, what strategies have you found most effective for helping leaders shift from a ‘problem-solving’ mindset to one that embraces the continuous management of complexity?
Hi Christy,
How have you tackled your wicked problems?
Hi Christy,
Great post and I appreciate your questions at the end. #1 resonates with me. I think we live in a quick-fix world where we expect good leaders to know the answer and solve the problem. Yet I think we’re discovering that good leaders engage in wicked problems and bring meaningful hope and change to tame those problems and provide paths through the swamp.
Hi Christy, I appreciated how you walked us through your thinking process, beginning with homelessness as a wicked problem. I agree entirely—following that trail could go on forever without ever really hitting “the bottom.” The second point on your realizations list hit home the most: the pressure on leaders to solve wicked problems instead of trying to tame them. Maybe I put that pressure on myself, but I also feel it from people stateside who seem frustrated by the “lack of progress” in my context—almost as if they’re asking, Why isn’t this a Christian nation by now? Which point from your list resonates with you the most?
Christy, your takeaways at the end are excellent. You wrote, “There is pressure on leaders to solve (rather than tame) wicked problems. This can lead to dissatisfaction in leadership when they are unable to solve the problems. ”
Where does this pressure come from? How might we educate and encourage leaders and people to have a different mindset?
Hi Graham, I realized this as I thought about politics this week while reading on wicked problems. Most people don’t understand that wicked problems can’t be solved so they pressure our politicians to solve them.
Our politicians (probably due to needing votes) often go along with this, giving a sense that the problem can be solved. This in itself is probably a wicked problem!
Christy, great deep analysis of a problem that’s staring us in the face every day we’re in a city.
Since wicked problems cannot be fully solved, how can leaders measure progress or success in addressing these issues? What indicators should they look for?
Hi Debbie, it’s a tough question. We have to measure, but if we measure the wrong things, it can give a false positive on progress, or, worse yet, take us backwards on progress.
Indicators have to take the interconnected nature of wicked problems into account. If we take a 1-dimensional view, we’ll likely underestimate the complexity and oversimplify a solution.