Three Non-Solving Responses to Problems
Three Non-Solving Responses to Problems
While the primary goal of any organization is typically to solve problems, many systemic responses to challenges do not actually result in a solution. Instead, individuals and institutions often engage in behaviors that move, maintain, or create new problems, frequently as a result of local optimization or misaligned incentives.
Pushing Problems Around
Pushing problems around occurs when a solution improves a situation in one area but makes it worse in another. This is a hallmark of local optimization in medium and large organizations, where individuals solve for their own immediate metrics or department goals without considering the broader system.
Because people are often "playing the game in front of them" to win based on their specific incentives, this behavior is rarely the result of individual malice. To resolve this, leadership must address the systemic view and fix incentives at the executive level (the "boss's boss") rather than blaming the individuals performing the local optimization.
Preserving Problems
Preserving problems happens when an institution or individual becomes so dedicated to the problem they are the solution to that they inadvertently—or intentionally—perpetuate the problem to ensure their own continued relevance or funding.
The Shirky Principle
This phenomenon is known as the "Shirky Principle," which posits that complex solutions (such as a company or an entire industry) can become so invested in the problem they solve that they perpetuate it. Consequently, true progress often requires letting go of the problems themselves.
Incentives and Expertise
Preservation is often driven by the need to justify a position or budget. Community insights highlight several manifestations of this:
- Institutional Preservation: Budgetary and political power may diminish if a problem (e.g., homelessness or crime) is fully solved, leading those in charge of the solution to have little incentive to actually eliminate the root cause.
- Expert Preservation: Subject matter experts may keep the root cause of a problem unsolved because the existence of the problem justifies their specialized position and expertise.
- Industry Preservation: In software development, some argue that the inherent slowness and expense of traditional development have historically protected high-paying jobs, creating a resistance to tools (like AI) that might solve those systemic inefficiencies.
Promoting New Problems
Solving one problem often automatically promotes a secondary problem to the primary position. As noted by Jerry Weinberg, once the number one problem is eliminated, the number two problem becomes the new priority. This creates a continuous cycle where the illusion of "finishing" problem-solving is replaced by the a realization that problem-solving is a constant state of management.
Additional Non-Solving Responses
Beyond the three primary 'P's, practitioners and observers identify several other common ways people avoid solving problems:
- Denial and Avoidance: Simply denying the problem exists or choosing to ignore it.
- Weaponization: Using a problem as a tool for political gain or to attack opponents.
- Deferral: Pushing decisions up the chain of command rather than making a choice, often seen in leadership that prioritizes risk avoidance over action.
- Study and Documentation: Spending excessive time studying or blogging about a problem as a substitute for implementing a solution.
Strategic Implications for Problem Solvers
To effectively navigate these dynamics, consultants and leaders should employ specific strategies:
- Identify Dependents: Determine who benefits from the problem remaining unsolved. Understanding who loses out if the problem is fixed is critical for planning.
- Analyze Secondary Effects: Ask, "What problems do we create by solving this problem?" to anticipate the new problems that will be promoted.
- Visualize the System: Use diagrams to help stakeholders agree on what the problems actually are and identify which ones are worth the effort to fix.
- Distinguish Worthwhile Problems: Recognize that not all problems are worth solving; ignoring the 95% of trivial issues to focus on the 5% of high-impact problems is often the most efficient path.