21 Things You Need to Know About Wicked Problems
Clive Smallman
I help start-ups and business leaders build business plans and execute them. | Business Coach | MBA | MA Management Learning | ICF Member | Professional Director GAICD | Chartered IT Professional
So, You Think Wicked Problems Don't Happen in Business?
People may think that businesses don't suffer from wicked problems because they believe that businesses are profit-driven entities that only focus on efficiency and maximising profits. The view is that wicked problems are typically social or political, and businesses are not concerned with such issues. However, in reality, many businesses face complex, interrelated problems. They are challenging to solve, similar to wicked problems, such as supply chain disruptions, sustainability challenges, and shifting market dynamics. These challenges require a holistic, collaborative approach to finding solutions, like addressing wicked problems.
Things You Need to Know About Wicked Business Problems
Here are 21 things you should know:
What Should You Do?
I equip leaders to tame wicked individual and organisational problems, building trusted personal and professional relationships through six principles:
Why not sit down for a couple of moments and think about a complex problem you had yourself or at work. Then, how might you apply these principles?
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But Seriously, Businesses Don't Have Wicked Problems, Do They?
People may resist the idea that businesses have wicked problems because they have a limited perception of the role of companies. They may see businesses as primarily focused on generating profits and may not understand the broader impact that companies can have on society and the environment. Additionally, people may view wicked problems as solely the responsibility of government and civil society. Therefore, they may not consider businesses' role in addressing these challenges. Furthermore, people may believe companies are not equipped or motivated to tackle complex and interrelated challenges based on the common assumption that business solely focuses on short-term gains. These perceptions and beliefs can lead to resistance to the idea that companies have wicked problems.
It is not necessarily "wrong" to think that businesses don't have wicked problems. Still, it is an incomplete view of the reality of the business landscape. Enterprises face complex, interrelated challenges that are difficult to solve. For example, supply chain disruptions, sustainability challenges, shifting market dynamics, and more. These challenges require a systemic, holistic approach to problem-solving and may involve multiple stakeholders with differing interests and perspectives. By ignoring or downplaying the existence of wicked problems in business, it becomes difficult to find effective and sustainable solutions. Conversely, recognising wicked problems in business and actively working to address them can help companies to become more resilient, competitive, and responsible corporate citizens.
Here are a few examples of companies that faced significant challenges as a result of wicked problems, and their experiences serve as cautionary tales for other businesses:
Things You Really Need to Know About Wicked Business Problems
People may think businesses don't suffer from wicked problems because wicked problems are typically social or political, and enterprises are not concerned with such issues. However, in reality, many businesses face complex, interrelated problems that are difficult to solve, similar to wicked problems.
There are many things we don't know about wicked business problems. However, we know they're a complex and challenging issue that resists straightforward solutions. They require a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach than is the case with traditional problem-solving methods.
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