Wicked Problems Former Oxford academic Steve Rayner describes wicked problems as characteristic of deeper problems. Wicked problems, such as climate change, educational underperformance or food insecurity, are interconnected and circular, according to Rayner. Climate change is connected to poverty, is connected to forest conservation, is connected to indigenous rights, is connected to economic development, and so on. Moreover, Rayner explains that wicked problems don’t present a clear set of alternative solutions. Rather, “we are not dealing with problems where we’re just uncertain, we’re dealing with problems where people know what the answer is. Different people know what the answer is. The trouble is the answers they have are just irreconcilable with each other.” 2 Finding reconciliation among these diverse options and opinions to craft an innovative solution requires leaders to give up power. Leaders trying to make a difference will need to find a way to understand the political ramifications of business, advocates, and government which will vary widely across the world. Deliberate Leadership Each strategy in Deliberate Leadership is based on proven business and social sector theory and practice and offers leadership models for effective social change. These are not intended as dogma but as guideposts and questions for social investors as they address some of the world’s most complex challenges. Deliberate Leadership promotes openness and provides rigorous feedback loops throughout the investment process. The combined construct of the Wicked Problems and Deliberate Leadership model was developed as an ethical framework for, and complement to, rigorous business analysis and decision-making. Its goal is to provide a structure for the values-based leadership characteristics that are most likely to bring about sustainable, positive, and systemic change. A commitment to using a Wicked Problems and Deliberate Leadership construct in social change calls for executives to approach social investment in a new way. It requires leadership, such as corporate board members and chief executive officers, to create, nurture, and sustain an organizational culture that is open to honest learning and adaptation, communication, and diverse stakeholder involvement. It also requires
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Ten Years in the Making
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