"I don't think"....."Then you shouldn't talk." said Alice.

I've been digging into the world of thinking for years. Most years I have a focus, it's intentional. I've done creative thinking, analytical thinking, critical thinking, systems thinking, and this year (full circle) back to strategic thinking. No accident that I ended up in London learning more about this, and how its done, in February this year.

One of my deep dives has been to understand complicated versus complex problems. My mind did a flick flack when I first went into this world. Here's my take on it:

Complicated Problems are Operational. While they may have a number of moving parts some good logic, solid analytical thinking and a reasonable dose of creativity should result in a relatively acceptable solution. While getting there might not be easy the outcome and most apparent solution is evident. When the solution is implemented the problem goes away. Over time a standard situation can be met with a standard response. The more the response can be repeated, the more likely it is to be automated. Exit humans, enter technology. Solving complicated problems is an essential ingredient for leaders to keep the wheels of business oiled and turning.

Complex Problems are different. They are strategic. A strategic problem has no clear definition and no apparent solution. Even after you have implemented your solution, you may never know if it was the right solution or not. Complex problems are full of uncertainty, can change dimension as you try to resolve them, and for the most part, are extremely hard to pre-define. They require you to frame and reframe the problem, seeing it from many different perspectives and potentially finding multiple solutions. That’s when you need to connect the dots.

Complex problems are the uber matter of leadership. They require that leaders both find solutions and have the courage to act on the decision. There is a need to act with certainty on the basis that the future is uncertain. This is my most favourite rabbit hole (said, Alice).

I was prompted to write this after reading something I was tagged in on understanding a Challenge. Thanks, Sean Moffitt (although I still can't figure out how you tagged me). This article speaks to strategic problems, more than operational ones. I’d encourage my followers to read what you've written.