On 24 June, Heather is preparing for her monthly project report for the board.

She was excited when this initiative began. There was lots of talk about the positive changes it would create. This time, things would be different.

But, 12 months’ in, she’s disillusioned.

Things haven’t worked out as planned.

She began by talking with other agencies and interest groups. And soon there was a clear plan of action. Everybody seemed to agree that the problem was X and good solutions would be A, B and C.

But now, after rolling out the solution, the problem hasn’t gone away. In fact, she’s heard from the community that the solution has created a bunch of new issues. 

All in all - she’s feeling pretty frustrated and lacking control. Her stakeholders are distancing themselves from the project and she just doesn’t know what to do next. 

Do you recognize yourself in this story at all? 

Do you ever find yourself frustrated that you can’t seem to make traction on the challenge you’re working on?

Working in ‘the grey’

Let’s take a moment to step back to understand the reality of your working environment.

Your working environment isn’t simple. Nor is it complicated. It’s complex. And that distinction is important.

You’re not working on simple problems

When problems are simple, we can predict what will happen. Do this, and get that result. X leads to Y.

Simple problems can be solved. Follow the recipe and you will get the desired result.

But you’re not working on simple problems. If they were simple, they would have been solved already.

Some problems are complicated

Some problems are complicated. There are lots of components and it’s hard to tell what’s what.

Last week smoke started billowing out of my 2009 Hyundai i30. I pulled the car over to the side of the road and pulled up the bonnet. Staring past the smoke, I had no idea where to begin. Was the problem in the engine? If so, where in the engine? Or was the root cause somewhere else in the car? 

With a complicated problem like this, you need to find the root cause or else you’ll end up treating the symptom. I could dowse the smoke to cool down the engine, but that wouldn’t solve the problem

Still, like a simple problem, you can eventually solve a complicated problem.

But you’re not working on complicated problems. You can’t solve economic productivity, climate change, intergenerational poverty, housing, racial inequality (or [insert your context here]) by finding the single root cause.

You’re working in complexity

With a complex problem, the nature of the problem is continually changing.

There may be multiple root causes. And when you influence one root cause, you can sometimes create an entirely different problem.

“Here, causes and effects are indistinguishable. Each action is simultaneously a reaction. Issues are connected in ways that mean problems are not open to being solved but instead need to be held in a dynamic equilibrium.” 

Next Stage Radicals

Complex problems require a different approach to simple and complicated problems:

• More analysis doesn’t always help (because the problem is always evolving)

• There’s no such thing as “best practice” because X is not guaranteed to result in Y

• Detailed planning often isn’t helpful (because by the time the plan is finalised, the nature of the problem has changed again).

To be clear, we’re not the people who figured this out. There is a whole body of work we could refer you to if you want to learn more. For starters, we recommend the Cynefin framework.

Learn more about the Cynefin model here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epXqgrm2hs4 

Personal practises to help you work through complexity

People sometimes refer to working on complex problems as ‘working in the grey’. 

You’re in that misty, foggy state where you can’t quite identify the root causes or understand the full picture. Rather than trying to blow the fog away, success comes from accepting the fog and working through it.

But that’s easier said than done. Recently, we’ve been thinking about what personal practices can help you when you’re working in that murky and complex space that is the real world.

Notice the impact on your body

Yes, this sounds airy fairy.

But there’s an increasing body of work demonstrating the strong connection between our mind, body, spirit and the people around us. 

The four cornerstones of Māori health - the ‘Te Whare Tapa Whā’ model - sums it up perfectly. Your mental, physical, spiritual and family health all contributes to your overall wellbeing as a person.

When your mind is confused and unsettled by your complex work environment, your body will often follow suit. Tension in your shoulders and neck. A tightness in your chest. Butterflies in your stomach.

When you notice what’s going on in your body, this can help to settle your mind, bringing more clarity to the complex situation you face.

Go for a walk or do some exercise

Many of our team’s best insights come when we get out of the office into nature. Even just a short walk around the block will do it. You return to your desk and the problem doesn’t seem so insurmountable.

A second reason to go for that walk is that exercise releases endorphins, which in turn is proven to help lower stress and boost cognitive function. You’ll think better once you’ve moved around.

Draw it out

Doodling is not child’s play. When you’re working in the grey, it can help you to understand how the system might be working. 

Our brain remembers visual models much better than written explanations.

“Every mental model is wrong; some are useful.” - George Box

Just remember, you’ll never get a perfect representation. But that doesn’t mean it is a futile exercise. 

Write

Writing is a cathartic practice that helps you to make sense of what’s in your own head. When you take time to write about something challenging, you are giving your brain space to make sense of the pieces of the puzzle.

Set learning experiments

A learning experiment is a method to encourage you to notice what is happening in your work. 

Most evaluation methods start by identifying your ‘desired outcomes’ you want to achieve; this is a mindset of control. 

But with experiments, you start by identifying some assumptions you want to test. The mindset is one of curiosity, rather than one of control. The idea is to notice, to learn, and to adapt.

Seek refuge in other people’s experiences

When things seem insurmountable and overly complex, it helps to know you’re not alone.

Today it’s easy to find solace in other’s experiences. Listen to a podcast. Read a book. Watch a TED talk.

One of our podcast listeners said she felt like a better person after listening to Episode 20 of our Beyond Consultation podcast with guest Becky Hirst. Another said the episode reminded her of why she does her work and gave her strength to carry on after a tough day at work.