Problem Mapping
In my weekly interactions with church leaders, I frequently encounter discussions centred around various problems they are experiencing. Rather than offering immediate advice, I adopt a listening stance, posing numerous questions to facilitate a deeper understanding of the issue. This approach often enables the individual to arrive at a solution independently, with my guidance catalyzing their discovery and problem-solving process. However, I have not previously considered exploring these challenges as either “wicked problems” or “tame problems.” As I read the book Exploring Wicked Problems by Bently and Toth, I realized I needed to update my problem-solving map to include this important concept.
Understanding this concept is crucial because not all problems are equal and, therefore, require different approaches. Bently and Toth humorously write, “Wicked problems are as different from tame problems as pomegranates are from watermelons.”[1] The notion of a wicked problem was first introduced by Rittel and Webber in their seminal paper in 1973. They described natural science problems as ‘tame problems’ that are well-defined and can be addressed through linear, reductionistic problem-solving methods. In contrast, social science problems are described as ‘wicked’ due to their poor formulation, confusing information, multiple conflicting stakeholder values, and complex systemic ramifications.[2]
I found the ten characteristics of wicked problems, identified in Chapter 2, to be particularly useful in problem mapping. The top three that I would prioritize are:
- There is never a solution that finally solves a wicked problem there is no rule to stop trying to do so.[3] One of the challenges of church work is that the work is never done. While there are a few instances, most leaders don’t get the satisfaction of walking away from a project with the satisfaction that the work is all done.
- Any proposed solution to a wicked problem cannot be true or correct; given the circumstances, it can only be bad, good, or better.[4] There are no silver bullets in church leadership when dealing with people and dynamic contexts.
- Every wicked problem is a discrepancy between a present state and a future, more desirable state. The nature of the discrepancy is explained by the worldview of the people who define the problem.[5] Leaders, by nature, lead toward a desired future state and work with people to help move them toward the shared vision.
I presented the concept of a wicked problem to our lead team and inquired how many of our issues would fall into this category. One member responded, “Pretty much all of them.” I concur that many of the challenges faced by church leaders can indeed be classified as wicked problems. The temptation we face is to either become overwhelmed by these problems or to oversimplify them by proposing straightforward solutions. A reductionist might argue, “Biblical preaching would solve most of our problems,” or “We need to make disciples,” or “People need to live a Spirit-filled life.” While these statements may hold some truth, they do not provide a comprehensive solution to the multifaceted issues confronting the church. It is tempting to amalgamate them. Some of the church problems that could be categorized as wicked include:
- Fundraising: Growing generous and healthy givers.
- Church unity: helping people resolve conflicts and live harmoniously with one another. Conflict in the body of Christ is one of the most draining things a leader must face.
- Leader and volunteer development: Finding, training, retaining, and developing people.
So, how might I help leaders address their wicked problems rather than attempting to provide them with the answers? While Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg doesn’t use the wicked problem nomenclature, he has identified a cyclical problem-solving process that reflects the basic premise that wicked problems are tamed rather than solved. Found in What’s Your Problem? by Wedell-Wedellsborg, the three stages in a repeated cycle are:
- Framing (and subsequently reframing) the problem: when you determine what to focus on.
- Analyzing the problem: when you study the chosen framing of the problem in depth, trying to quantify it and understand the finer details.
- Solving the problem: the actual steps you take to fix it; things like experimentation, prototyping, and eventually implementing the full solution.[6]
This idea of an iterative cycle synchronizes well with the premise that wicked problems are tamed rather than solved. What does taming a wicked problem mean? Bentley and Toth write, “It means acting in ways that gain some measure of control over the critical variables of a difficult issue that concerns us. It means finding how to take action that narrows the gap between a present state of affairs that is undesirable and a future, more desirable one. It means being constantly alert to changing circumstances.”[7]
In my work with church leaders, the concept of wicked problems, when combined with the iterative cycle developed by Wedell-Wedellsborg, could prove to be particularly beneficial. This framework assists leaders in systematically identifying and mapping their complex issues, subsequently enabling the development of effective strategies to address and mitigate these challenges.
If I had more time, I would delve into the concept of the high hard ground versus the swamp found in chapter 15. This could be a helpful concept as leaders attempt to map their problems.
[1] Joseph Bentley PhD and Michael Toth PhD, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important, vol. Kindle (Bloomington, IN, 2020), 45.
[2] Johanna Lönngren and Katrien van Poeck, “Wicked Problems: A Mapping Review of the Literature,” International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology 28, no. 6 (August 18, 2021): 481–502, https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2020.1859415.
[3] Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important, Kindle:39.
[4] Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Kindle:40.
[5] Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Kindle:41.
[6] Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, What’s Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve (Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press, 2020), 23.
[7] Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important, Kindle:70.
About the Author
Graham English
I was born in Cape Town, South Africa 30 minutes from Table Mountain, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. My family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada where I spent my teen years, met Wendy, and got married. We now live on the Canadian prairies in northern Alberta. I think God has a sense of humour. I'm a follower of Jesus, work in leadership and church development, love my family and walk a lot.10 responses to “Problem Mapping”
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Hi Graham, As I read the three problems that you list facing church leaders I thought they were akin to what I see in the nonprofit world. And, I agree that platitudes do little. In most of those situations I find that a non-anxious presence is an important first step. Does assigning or describing the problems faced in church life in wicked or tamed change how you see or approach them? Do you see the iterative cycle differing from a strategic approach that is typical in nonprofit and corportate settings?
Hi Diane, I think framing problems as wicked or tame helps leaders to think more adaptively. Most of the problems that keep church leaders up at night are not technical, easy to fix problems. Most are very complex. So, yes, I think helping leaders understand the idea of wicked problems will help them to think differently and reset their expectations.
Secondly, the iterative cycle, is likely more innovative that the typical strat planning approach. Strat planning tends to be more linear, whereas I see the iterative cycle as being more adaptive.
Hi Graham,
How might the iterative problem-solving cycle proposed by Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg complement Bentley and Toth’s approach to managing wicked problems within a church context?
The idea of wicked problems is that they cannot be solved but they can be tamed or managed. The iterative cycle help leaders develop a more adaptive approach to problem solving by framing and reframing the problem year over year. An iterative cycle suggests that we are not solving the problem with a single solution but rather attempting to tame it by testing solutions, trying new things and improving on what we did in the past.
Graham, You wrote a great blog and tied in personal application. Thanks for reminding me of the itinerant cycle in “What’s Your Problem?” Of the three stages of the cycle, which one do you feel is your strongest one? Which one is most challenging for you to implement?
Kari, I think that the first 2 steps are probably my strongest. I’m here in Thailand helping our denom think through an important strategic issue and come up with some ways in which we might address this. My weakest would be stage 3, implementation. While I recognize the importance and do reasonably well, it’s not my strongest.
Hey Graham! Thanks for this as I fully identified with your comment on the reductionist perspective to wicked problems. I also hear let’s just pray on it and know this is just a stall tactic to kick the can down the road. What else would you recommend in the church context to address the wicked problem dilemma?
Thanks Daren, I think modelling problem solving is a powerful teaching tool. One of the best ways I’ve discovered to do this is to use an Appreciative Inquiry approach. The AI approach invites key stakeholders in a strengths-based, problem solving process. Gathering people together to think through problems or opportunities and moves toward co-creating and then co-delivering is a powerful way to engage people in the problem-solving process.
Graham, you highlight how church leaders often face wicked problems that cannot be fully solved, only tamed, which I can identify with. Given this reality, how can leaders effectively balance the tension between taking decisive action and remaining adaptable to evolving challenges? How does this balance influence long-term church health and leadership resilience?
Good question, Chad.
Annabel Beerel notes that one of the leadership tasks is to discern between technical and adaptive problems. Technical problems can be dealt with simply and decisively. Adaptive issues require a more collective and innovative approach to solving the problem. This just takes time because we have to help people adapt to the change.
I would suggest that leaders can take decisive action on an adaptive/wicked problem once they have discerned with their input from key stakeholders.
The long-term health and resilience of the church is strengthened when people are invited into the process of solving the problem because they are developed.