Mysterious Problems

The problems in this set are more than puzzles; they are mysteries. They often leave us wondering what is going on. Far from feeling confident that solutions are possible, we often wonder if one can be found at all. And the mystery is not in our intent or our desire; the mystery is in the world. These are situations where "things happen" and we are left scratching our heads and guessing.

Problems with Uncertainties: Problems in which future unknowns and uncertainties create a range of possible futures or an unstable and fluid context. It becomes impossible to act in the present since the immediate or even long-range future that would justify those actions is uncertain. It becomes essential to consider multiple scenarios, live with ambiguity, and make mid-course corrections as the future unfolds.

Problems with uncertainties require an on-going engagement with the problem to make sure the right scenario is being activated. The problem solvers cannot simply walk away from the task once they have generated a range of solutions.

Problems that are Dilemmas: Problems experienced when we are committed to two (apparently) incompatible goals. Efforts toward one side of the paradox compromise or negate efforts toward the other side. When unacknowledged, dilemmas create enormous amounts of conflict and opposition.

Dilemmas are enduring tensions, for which there are only temporary resolutions. Circumstances can easily demand a change in the previous balance point. In organizations, dilemmas are often split across functional boundaries. This can heighten friction and prevent empathy. If left unattended, the problem can escalate into more conflicted forms.

Problems with a Life of Their Own: Whenever there are a large number of actors, each pursuing their own notion of "success", there is a potential for this special type of problem. Such complex adaptive systems typically show emergent behavior, which is neither predictable from the actions of individuals, nor is it necessarily the intent of the actors.

The "problem" and the "solution" are recursively linked; one cannot be defined or explored without impacting the other. There are perplexing circular causal chains, often with time lags that obscure the link between cause and effect. As a result, effects of change efforts are often unpredictable and out of proportion to the effort.