Dan Lococo

Helping Organizations Move from Performative to Structural Inclusion

Adaptive challenge vs technical problem?

Written by

Dan Lococo, PhD

I was introduced to the relationship between technical problems and adaptive challenges more than 10 years ago. I am regularly reminded that focusing on technical problems can be a path to overcoming adaptive challenges, can b a distraction from addressing adaptive challenges, or can be a way of creating barriers to overcoming adaptive challenges.

This post is part of my “Toolbox” series of ideas that I have encountered and internalized as I have travelled my own leadership journey. Comments and sharing are always welcome.

In this post:

 

Story: Problem? What problem?

I first learned of technical vs. adaptive challenges while reading the book, “The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world” (

Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky 2009), as part of my doctoral studies. Reviewing the book for this piece reminded me how insightful a read it was. The differences between technical challenges vs. adaptive challenges has resonated the fullest as a useful addition to my leadership toolbox. I’ll focus on how I have applied the concept of technical problems vs. adaptive challenges for this piece.

In its simplest form, technical problems can be characterized by:

  • Represent a clearly defined situation/barrier
  • The situation/barrier can be resolved with the help of an expert or through a leadership decision

Adaptive challenges are characterized by:

  • The problem definition, solution, and implementation require new learning
  • Resolution of an adaptive challenges requires the engagement of a variety of stakeholders

The difference between technical problems and adaptive challenges can be significant. Most often, solving a technical problem is simply a matter of identifying the most efficient way to reach a desired outcome and following a series of well-defined steps. The solution to many technical problems can regularly be found among the first ten results from your favorite search engine. Adaptive challenges involve consideration of many moving parts, often including open loops involving resources outside of our immediate sphere of influence.

Application to everyday life

As I lost my vision to retinitis pigmentosa, I found myself facing both technical problems and an adaptive challenges. Converting text to speech is a technical problem that is relatively easy to solve. using readily accessible tools. Migrating to being a Barrier Knocker Downer focused on meaning-making through the sharing of ideas involved changes in everything from attitudes to skillsets to how I engage with my physical surroundings. I have made many changes, learned many things, let go of many things, and have come to recognize living with vision loss to be a journey rather than a destination.

One of the challenges of adapting to vision loss is the attractiveness of technical solutions. It is very easy to fall into the trap of finding a few gadgets designed to solve specific problems and then assume the adaptive challenge of vision loss has been accomplished. A feature of many households of persons with a degenerative eye disease is the drawer containing magnifying devices that have outlived their usefulness. Been there, done that.

Similarly, a focus on technical problems can be a barrier to addressing adaptive challenges. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently required hedge funds, private equity funds and venture capital firms to disclose their fees and expenses to investors. Investment fund managers have a fiduciary responsibility to their clients. A federal appellate court ruled the SEC did not have the authority to make such a rule. Questions of the SEC’s responsibility, investment fund manager responsibility, or the importance of transactional transparency were not addressed by the court’s ruling: only the technical problem of the SEC’s authority in this case.

Full disclosure: I have authored organizational investment policy statements and participated in the selection of organizational investment fund management. If a fund manager claims it did not know the costs an investor will be assessed, that’s a hard “No.”

In organizational settings

A parallel issue to examining technical problems in isolation is viewing organizations as the answer to adaptive challenges. This can occur in two situations:

  1. Individuals perceive of an organization as a “one stop shop” for all their needs
  2. An organization perceives of itself as being the answer to an adaptive challenge

My wife and I are known for the wide variety of ways we engage in our community. This is not a coincidence. We have been intentional in our lifestyle choices to allow us to live in a space with many activities. We have a practice of adding interesting opportunities to our calendar and participating as time permits. We have little expectation that a single information source or set of activities will allow us to be fully engaged in our surroundings.

I have the opportunity to participate in the governance of several organizations. I make it no secret that my focus lies in the relationship between the organization’s mission and the individuals served by the organization. A challenge of governance is to define boundaries while recognizing the organization’s place as part of the solution to an adaptive challenge.

As an example, transportation is a huge issue for persons affected by vision loss. The delivery of transportation services is outside of the scope of many organizations, even though it is a key element of their ability to be successful in the execution of their mission. In my governance role, I have a responsibility to explore how the organization recognizes transportation as an element of the organizations ability to be effective while staying within the boundaries of its mission.

Looking from the balcony

Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky use the metaphor of

looking from the balcony to describe the work of leadership and governance. If you have ever participated in a square dance, this metaphor is easy to imagine. There are four couples to a square and they interact as couples and with other couples in the square. Looking down upon multiple squares of dancers provides a very different perspective on the activity taking place in the dance hall.

Technical problems are to an adaptive challenge as a four couple square is to a ballroom full of square dancers A focus on technical problems can lead to a narrow perspective of organizational success.

In summary

Joel Barker does a good job of summarizing the relationship between technical problems vs. adaptive challenges and the need to be able to balance the two: “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”

The Power of Vision (1991 video)

I have found the contrast of technical problems vs. adaptive challenges to be a clarifying lens in much of my work. It has been a worthwhile exercise for me to revisit it here. I plan to read “The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world” again and recommend it to others

References

 

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