{"id":40222,"date":"2025-02-27T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=40222"},"modified":"2025-01-26T09:00:07","modified_gmt":"2025-01-26T17:00:07","slug":"problem-mapping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/problem-mapping\/","title":{"rendered":"Problem Mapping"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/em> by Bently and Toth, I realized I needed to update my problem-solving map to include this important concept.<\/p>\n

Understanding this concept is crucial because not all problems are equal and, therefore, require different approaches. \u00a0Bently and Toth humorously write, \u201cWicked problems are as different from tame problems as pomegranates are from watermelons.\u201d[1]<\/a> \u00a0The notion of a wicked problem was first introduced by Rittel and Webber in their seminal paper in 1973. They described natural science problems as \u2018tame problems\u2019 that are well-defined and can be addressed through linear, reductionistic problem-solving methods. In contrast, social science problems are described as \u2018wicked\u2019 due to their poor formulation, confusing information, multiple conflicting stakeholder values, and complex systemic ramifications.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

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:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. There is never a solution that finally solves a wicked problem there is no rule to stop trying to do so.[3]<\/a> One of the challenges of church work is that the work is never done. While there are a few instances, most leaders don\u2019t get the satisfaction of walking away from a project with the satisfaction that the work is all done.<\/li>\n
  2. Any proposed solution to a wicked problem cannot be true or correct; given the circumstances, it can only be bad, good, or better.[4]<\/a> There are no silver bullets in church leadership when dealing with people and dynamic contexts.<\/li>\n
  3. 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]<\/a> Leaders, by nature, lead toward a desired future state and work with people to help move them toward the shared vision.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    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, \u201cPretty much all of them.\u201d 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, \u201cBiblical preaching would solve most of our problems,\u201d or \u201cWe need to make disciples,\u201d or \u201cPeople need to live a Spirit-filled life.\u201d 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:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Fundraising: Growing generous and healthy givers.<\/li>\n
    2. 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.<\/li>\n
    3. Leader and volunteer development: Finding, training, retaining, and developing people.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      So, how might I help leaders address their wicked problems rather than attempting to provide them with the answers? While Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s Your Problem?<\/em> by Wedell-Wedellsborg, the three stages in a repeated cycle are:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Framing (and subsequently reframing) the problem: when you determine what to focus on.<\/li>\n
      2. Analyzing the problem: when you study the chosen framing of the problem in depth, trying to quantify it and understand the finer details.<\/li>\n
      3. Solving the problem: the actual steps you take to fix it; things like experimentation, prototyping, and eventually implementing the full solution.[6]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        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, \u201cIt 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.\u201d[7]<\/a><\/p>\n

        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.<\/p>\n

        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.<\/p>\n

        [1]<\/a> Joseph Bentley PhD and Michael Toth PhD, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important<\/em>, vol. Kindle (Bloomington, IN, 2020), 45.<\/p>\n

        [2]<\/a> Johanna L\u00f6nngren and Katrien van Poeck, \u201cWicked Problems: A Mapping Review of the Literature,\u201d International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology<\/em> 28, no. 6 (August 18, 2021): 481\u2013502, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/13504509.2020.1859415.<\/p>\n

        [3]<\/a> Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important<\/em>, Kindle:39.<\/p>\n

        [4]<\/a> Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Kindle:40.<\/p>\n

        [5]<\/a> Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Kindle:41.<\/p>\n

        [6]<\/a> Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, What\u2019s Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve<\/em> (Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press, 2020), 23.<\/p>\n

        [7]<\/a> Bentley PhD and Toth PhD, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important<\/em>, Kindle:70.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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