Big, Complicated Problems

Procrastination certainly accounts for some part of the delay in addressing big, complicated problems. And another part is our impression that the problem is so big and complicated that we can't make any progress at all on it right now, so we defer addressing it. When we finally do decide to tackle big, complicated problems, we're sometimes surprised to find how rapidly we could make significant progress. After making some progress, even if the big, complicated problem is still a big, complicated problem, it's a little less big and a little less complicated than it was before, or maybe a little less big and a little less complicated than we thought it was.

This happens, in part, because it's incredibly difficult to accurately assess both the difficulty of resolving any given big, complicated problem, and our own ability to do so. We're just not very good at making those assessments. That's unfortunate, because if we could acknowledge our inability to make accurate assessments, we might be more likely to accept the possibility that our fears are overblown.

The real question here might be this: if we're so bad at assessing our ability to meet the challenges of solving big, complicated problems, why are we so ready to accept the belief that we can't solve them? Couldn't it be true that if we were to take a crack at solving the problem, we might find that we could make some real progress? And how is it that we can recall so many incidents in which that was exactly what happened?

Think about some examples from history: sending people to the moon and back; creating the United Nations; eradicating smallpox. Certainly many problems remain to be resolved, but clearly we have a capacity for solving some really nasty ones.

Now think about problems in your workplace. They're probably much smaller and less complicated than sending people to the moon and back or eradicating smallpox. But still we defer addressing them.

One classOne class of big, complicated
problems is the behavior of some
individuals that makes others
uncomfortable, even if that
behavior isn't overtly abusive of big, complicated problems is the behavior of some individuals that makes others uncomfortable or fearful. Excessive touching, bullying, or pressure to participate in unethical activity, are clearly out of bounds. But some might have a reasonable fear of retaliation if they take steps to address the problem, and so they feel unable to act. If you've lived a situation like this, you know it can be a big, complicated problem. It can take over your mind, and it can end the peace you once had in your work life.

These problems, like others, sometimes resolve almost immediately once we take action to address them. Here are some steps to take that can adjust your perception of the gap between the challenge of the big, complicated problem, and your ability to meet that challenge.

Get advice from someone you trust

You probably trust a loved one more than anyone else. You can start there. And for workplace challenges, that kind of trust might not be what you really need. Someone who understands the kind of problem you want to address might have more pertinent insights. A colleague, a coach, or a counselor might be more useful.

Remember, though, advice is only advice. You remain responsible for any action you take, even when someone else suggests it.

Assess your resources

Awareness of our own resources can be elusive, because our resources are always with us. And when we lose awareness of resources, we access them less often, and they retreat further from our awareness.

That's why assessing your resources might be a fruitful topic to talk about with someone you trust. People other than yourself might be more aware of your unique capacities and opportunities than you are.

Consider whether you've solved a similar problem before

There are two possible advantages to considering whether you've solved a similar problem before. First, the solution you used before might work for the problem you have now, or it might lead to a new way of dealing with the problem you have now.

Second, and possibly more important, is the possibility that the problem has re-occurred because of a pattern in your own behavior. That might sound ominous. But if it's true, you have a chance to eliminate the root cause by learning something about yourself and making adjustments. That can be hard work, but the reward is eliminating the chances of re-occurrence.

Look for a workaround

When the challenge remains daunting after seeking advice, assessing resources, and recalling similar problems, another path you haven't considered might still be available. In engineering, we call such approaches workarounds. We find a way to get around the problem without actually solving the problem.

Workarounds are most helpful when we believe that a real solution might become available in the near future. For example, if your boss is a bully, transferring to a different workgroup might be a workaround until you can finally change jobs or find a new career. Beware, though. Workarounds can be a tempting form of procrastination.

When a workaround is unavailable, and the challenge remains daunting, and tolerating the situation isn't an option, escape is about all that's left. It's a last option, but it is an option.

Escape can seem shameful. We think, "I should be able to deal with this, and because I can't, I'm a lesser being." But if there is no alternative, in escape there is no shame — only wisdom. Feelings of shame certainly don't help solve the problem, and they can be depleting and discouraging. Most important, there is no evidence supporting the premise that anyone should be able to deal with any problem. Evaluating your own worth on the basis of such an unsubstantiated claim is unjustified. Sometimes, escape can be your least bad option.  Top    Next Issue

Projects never go quite as planned. We expect that, but we don't expect disaster. How can we get better at spotting disaster when there's still time to prevent it? How to Spot a Troubled Project Before the Trouble Starts is filled with tips for executives, senior managers, managers of project managers, and sponsors of projects in project-oriented organizations. It helps readers learn the subtle cues that indicate that a project is at risk for wreckage in time to do something about it. It's an ebook, but it's about 15% larger than "Who Moved My Cheese?" Just . Order Now! .

Your comments are welcome

About Point Lookout

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful, and that you'll consider recommending it to a friend.

This article in its entirety was written by a human being. No machine intelligence was involved in any way.

Point Lookout is a free weekly email newsletter. Browse the archive of past issues. Subscribe for free.

Support Point Lookout by joining the Friends of Point Lookout, as an individual or as an organization.

Do you face a complex interpersonal situation? Send it in, anonymously if you like, and I'll give you my two cents.

Related articles

More articles on Problem Solving and Creativity:

Dealing with Deadlock

At times it seems that nothing works. Whenever we try to get moving, we encounter obstacles. If we try to go around them, we find more obstacles. How do we get stuck? And how can we get unstuck?

Newtonian Blind Alleys: I

When we decide how to allocate organizational resources, we make assumptions about how the world works. Often outside our awareness, the thinking of Sir Isaac Newton influences our assumptions. And sometimes they lead us into blind alleys. Universality is one example.

The Planning Dysfunction Cycle

Some organizations consistently choose not to allocate enough resources or time to planning for their most complex undertakings. Again and again, they decline to plan carefully enough despite the evidence of multiple disappointments and chaotic performance. Resource contention and cognitive biases conspire to sustain this cycle of dysfunction.

Cost Concerns: Scale

When we consider the costs of problem solutions too early in the problem-solving process, the results of comparing alternatives might be unreliable. Deferring cost concerns until we fully understand the problem can yield more options and better decisions.

Self-Imposed Constraints

When we solve problems, the problem definition and associated constraints determine the possible solutions. Sometimes, though, solving the problem is unnecessarily difficult because we accepted self-imposed constraints as real. How can we avoid that?

See also Problem Solving and Creativity and Problem Solving and Creativity for more related articles.

Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout

Coming January 22: Storming: Obstacle or Pathway?

The Storming stage of Tuckman's model of small group development is widely misunderstood. Fighting the storms, denying they exist, or bypassing them doesn't work. Letting them blow themselves out in a somewhat-controlled manner is the path to Norming and Performing. Available here and by RSS on January 22.

And on January 29: A Framework for Safe Storming

The Storming stage of Tuckman's development sequence for small groups is when the group explores its frustrations and degrees of disagreement about both structure and task. Only by understanding these misalignments is reaching alignment possible. Here is a framework for this exploration. Available here and by RSS on January 29.

Coaching services

I offer email and telephone coaching at both corporate and individual rates. Contact Rick for details at rbrenjTnUayrCbSnnEcYfner@ChacdcYpBKAaMJgMalFXoCanyon.com or (650) 787-6475, or toll-free in the continental US at (866) 378-5470.

Get the ebook!

Past issues of Point Lookout are available in six ebooks:

• Get 2001-2 in Geese Don't Land on Twigs (PDF, )
• Get 2003-4 in Why Dogs Wag (PDF, )
• Get 2005-6 in Loopy Things We Do (PDF, )
• Get 2007-8 in Things We Believe That Maybe Aren't So True (PDF, )
• Get 2009-10 in The Questions Not Asked (PDF, )
• Get all of the first twelve years (2001-2012) in The Collected Issues of Point Lookout (PDF, )

Are you a writer, editor or publisher on deadline? Are you looking for an article that will get people talking and get compliments flying your way? You can have 500-1000 words in your inbox in one hour. License any article from this Web site. More info