Problem Solving Within Complexity - part #1

Introduction

It was a busy morning at the restaurant where we were meeting for breakfast. The tables were full. The food was good, and the coffee was flowing. Everyone around us was talking, laughing, and sharing. 

Meanwhile, the two of us were deep into a conversation about the latest changes happening at his company and their ongoing need to respond to evolving market conditions plus changing customer expectations. In particular, we were exploring the subject of problem solving within complex adaptive systems, and his desire to reduce disequilibrium in the midst of these problem solving processes. As we talked, I realized that I had engaged in multiple versions of this conversation over the last 90 days with a wide diversity of senior leaders, all of whom were seeking solutions within complexity. 

When Problems Evolve Faster Than Solutions Can Be Created

In the beginning, when there is fear, anxiety and turbulence within the company and within the market place, we need to remember that we have been solving complex problems long before current events. In the past, we analyzed the problem, defined the root cause, developed options, evaluated and/or tested the options, executed the best option, tracked progress, and made midcourse adjustments. This was a fine model, but it is no longer a functional model. 

Right now, we must recognize that the problems we are trying to solve keep evolving faster than the solutions can be created, and then successfully executed. This is happening, because we are experiencing four different challenges at the same time period. First, we are facing complex problems on multiple fronts, inside and outside the company. Second, many of the problems do not have a simple root cause. Third, many of the problems are cross-connected, rapidly evolving, and all are creating impact and precedence. Fourth, the resulting speed of change within the business ecosystem means that we often have incomplete data before we have to make a decision. The bottom line is that the old, centralized problem-solving model for complex problems can not handle the number of simultaneous problems, and the speed within which they are evolving.

Recognizing this reality, we need to reframe the problem solving process to not focusing on the solution, but instead to focus on a solution. This is because when we create a solution to a problem, we assume our solutions have a degree of permanency. We also assume that the solution will become a systemic solution, not an episodic solution. However, current events do not support this conclusion.

Next, we must recognize that the desired element of permanency is found in the processes that create a solution, not in the actual solution. When working within a dynamic environment, and when the problem or problems continue to evolve rapidly over time, the most important stage is the one where we engage in a process to create a solution. 

Furthermore, the health and well being of the group or team, and the relational space within which they gather to create a solution is the only constant in the midst of this dynamic complexity. As a long time and successful change agent recently shared with me, it is easier to make change happen when you plug into an existing network to make change happen rather than when you have to create a network in order to create a solution, and then ultimately make change happen. Thus, starting with a healthy and functional group, team or network, is a key element within problem solving within complexity. 

The Importance Of Creating Adaptable Processes

Recognizing these subtle but important distinctions, I am reminded of the work of John Paul Lederach and his book, The Moral Imagination: The Art And Soul Of Building Peace (Oxford University Press, 2005). Lederach advocates for the on-going creation and refinement of these kinds of processes which create solutions. As he notes, when this kind of work is done on a regular basis over time, it will change the evolution of the problems and the solutions that are surfacing. Still, Lederach writes about the importance of relationships, explaining that “… relational platforms to produce change are more important than the individual solutions they create. In other words, platforms that create responsive processes must be permanent and continuously adaptive.” The goal in the midst of complexity is to create processes and relationships that are adaptable, not just to focus on creating solutions to current problems. 

Yet, as we do this level of work, I also am reminded of the work of Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky and their book, Leadership On The Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading (Harvard Business School Press, 2002). As they write, “leadership requires disturbing people, but at a rate they can absorb.” People, who are disturbed, generally respond in four specific ways to the actions of the leader. First, they respond by marginalization with the goal of keeping the whole organization from confronting an issue. Second, they respond by division in order to divert your attention as a leader by broadening the agenda related to the problem, or by overwhelming the agenda with seemingly logical reasons for disrupting the proposed plan to solve the problem. Third, they respond by attack, namely attacking the leader in order to neutralize their message. Finally, they respond by seduction with the hope that the leader will loose their sense of purpose, and then becoming side tracked by an initiative which is likely to generate a short term win. Heifetz and Linsky note that “All four of these [responses]  reduce disequilibrium that would be generated were the people needing to address the issues brought up by change,” and “all four restore order and protect people from the pains of adaptive work.” In short, we as leaders must understand and accept that “avoidance is denial,” and this is a common response when people are disturbed by complexity. 

To be continued on Tuesday. 

© Geery Howe 2026

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change

The Third Place

In 1989, American sociologist Ray Oldenburg introduced the concept of a third place - a place that was neither home nor work, but somewhere in between. This third place was a location where people could go and unwind, find solace, and let the stresses of life fade away. 

And from my perspective, we need these third place locations more than ever right now. We need these islands of sanity, referencing the work of Margaret Wheatley. We need places to catch our breathe, to rediscover our center, and to remember what is important and meaningful in our lives. We also need places to remember what is important and meaningful in the lives of those we love, and in the lives of those with whom we get to work with on a daily basis. 

As for me, I have numerous third places in my life. First, I always enjoy going to The Serving Cafe in my hometown of West Branch. It is a welcoming place with great, home-cooked food. I especially love having breakfast there with friends and family. 

Next, a favorite third place of mine are the many perennial flower beds around out home. Whether I am on my hands and knees weeding, or just enjoying the endless flowers from March straight through to November, I find it a place that feeds my soul and restores my faith in the world. Being in the natural world is always good for my spirits. Other places like this are found walking along the water at Lake McBride near Solon, summer vacation time in Door County, or just about any good bookstore. All of them fill up my life with joy, perspective, and solace. 

Along with physical locations, I also have third place people who can see me, be present to me, and hear me when I am struggling, grieving, or processing the challenges in my life. These people, whom I affectionally call my “Kitchen Table Cabinet,” provide safe space for healing, insights, and perspective. They are people who meet my challenges with grace, offer support when asked, and celebrate my progress when I struggle to see the bigger journey. They are there for me, encourage me to keep moving forward. 

In world where it appears the values of compassion, dignity, and respect, the very foundation of our humanity, are not being role modeled by many people, my third place locations and people remind me that all is not lost or hopeless. For when I am with these people, and when I am in these spaces, I meet individuals who are embracing these values and recognizing the importance of these values. While I may not be able to change the whole world, I surely can be a role model in my local community, and within my local third places. For I believe that when this happens, when we choose to think global and focus local, we are indeed changing the world one relationship and one moment at a time. 

This week, I encourage you to find your third place and your third place people. And then, be a third place person for all whom cross your path. When we choose offer solace and support, comfort and grace, in this way, we are truly changing our life and the lives all we meet along life’s amazing journey. 

© Geery Howe 2026

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change

Staying Close to What Matters Most

Introduction

“How do we stay close to what matters in a daily way in the midst of so many detours and distractions?,” writes the poet Mark Nepo in his book, The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life (St. Martin’s Essential, 2025). “Three essential ways come to mind. We stay close to what matters by remaining wholehearted, by clearing the confusion that constantly visits us, and by quieting the voices of lack that hoard what we have and compare what we don’t to all that is around us.”

Staying close to what matters the most on a daily basis is a life long challenge. We regularly get distracted and interrupted, which often leads to detours and rabbit holes. And when we get to the other side of managing all these details and engaging in problem solving related to the details, we often feel worn, overwhelmed, and deeply frustrated. Then, when this pattern is repeated, day after day, week after week, month after month, we loose sight of what really matters most, and succumb to a life of being busy and depleted. 

So, when Nepo encourages us to “stay close to what matters by remaining wholehearted,” I understand the importance of this choice, and yet, at times, I struggle with how to do this. I also struggle with the fact that there are days when I have lost the memory of what it feels like to stay close to what matters most. Still, all is not lost or hopeless. My intent is still strong. I just know I need to be more consistent and disciplined in my choices. 

Remaining Wholehearted

My first choice is “stay close to what matters by remaining wholehearted.” I think this is vitally important and very hard to do, because being wholehearted means to be devoted, determined and enthusiastic in life’s journey. When I think about being wholehearted, I am reminded of the work of Jungian psychoanalyst, James Hollis, Ph.D. As he wrote: “No matter how well intended we begin, sooner or later we all spend good portions of this journey stumbling through savannas of suffering, where in we nonetheless find tasks that, when addressed - even in those dismal, diminishing circumstances - enlarge us. Going through suffering, rather than denying or anesthetizing it, knowing that if we hang in there, it will bring us choices that can either enlarge us or diminish us, and that when we are least in control, we still retain the freedom of choosing what matters to us.”

The act of “stumbling through savannas of suffering” requires us to make important choices. Some of those choices may feel diminishing, and others will be enlarging. But, in the beginning, life is less about making things orderly and under control, and more about alignment, the convergence of intention, clarity, and heart. When we choose to put our whole heart into living, and also give ourselves permission to keep learning and growing, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, we stay close to what matters, even when we stumble into a savanna of suffering. 

Clearing The Confusion

My second choice is “clearing the confusion that constantly visits us.” On the surface, this seems like an easy course of action, but I have come to understand that the act of clearing takes time, patience, and perspective. And given current events, our digital lives create a wide variety of cognitively demanding, wildly time absorbing, logistical tasks that do not generate quality living or quality outcomes. 

When talking with a young person about life’s challenges, she shared that many people are focused on “grindset, not mindset.” I had never heard this term, grindset, before, and through listing and reading, I learned that it is an unwavering focus on achieving goals through intense, relentless work, often at the expense of other aspects of life. Furthermore, it is a mentality that glories constant work, and is driven by the belief that success is solely achieved through dedication and effort. While it can be associated with positive traits like hard work and discipline, a grindset mentality can have negative consequences, leading to burnout, anxiety, and strained relationships. 

When I understood the meaning of the term, I realized that I had been caught in this cycle numerous times in my life journey, and that I had met many people, particularly those in leadership and management positions, who defined life as one big check list that needed to be done. And while they got lots done, they also paid a heavy price in terms of relationships, marriages, and health. In basic terms, they won at work, and lost at life. 

Yet, clearing the confusion that constantly visits us is still important. “In the absence of ‘wake-up calls’,” writes the late Stephen Covey, “many of us never really confront the critical issues of life. Instead of looking for deep chronic causes, we look for quick fix Band-Aids and aspirin to treat the acute pain. Fortified by temporary relief, we get busier and busier doing ‘good’ things and never even stop to ask ourselves if what we’re doing what really matters most.” And this is why, we need a network of support people in our lives who will listen carefully, and share openly so we can regain perspective about our choices and our overall mindset. 

Again, I turn to the poet Mark Nepo, who shares an important point about regaining perspective. As he explains, “Being ready centers on the foundational ground we stand on and the clarity of view we meet a situation with. We often mistake being prepared for being ready, through the process of getting prepared can be the exercise by which we ready ourselves inwardly to meet any situation…. In life and love and in meeting our suffering, we need both - to be prepared and to be ready. To be prepared is to know how to step. To be ready is to see where to step. To be prepared is to know how to pick up what is broken. To be ready is to have a some sense of how the pieces go back together. To be prepared is to make a schedule. To be ready is to lean into the day with an open heart when the schedule is lost in the rain.” And, as we all know, life always has it’s rainy days, no matter what we do. 

Quieting the Voices

My third choice relates to “quieting the voices of lack that hoard what we have and compare what we don’t to all that is around us.” All day and every day, we are talking to ourselves about what is happening around us and within us. This inner dialogue can be helpful, and it can be hurtful. 

What I have discovered from coaching people, and from being coached and supported by other people, is that our inner dialogue is often focused on self-criticism and self-judgement. We are mad that things are not going “right,” or that we are not getting our fair share. So, we direct this anger inward. Sometimes, we direct it outward, too. As a result, we have so much anger within us, and so little compassion for ourselves and others.

This on-going diet of internal criticism blinds us to see what is actually going right, and where small acts of progress are taking place. It also prevents us from understanding what triggered us in the first place, and what caused us to get lost in an internal trough of chaos.

When this happens, we need to engage in meta-awareness, namely we need to be aware of our awareness. When we do not quiet the voices of lack, we find ourselves in a world that can feel threatening and overwhelming. And as a result, we typically respond in four ways, namely to fight, flee, freeze, or faint/flop. Each of these normal stress responses are useful coping strategies. They keep us alive through the difficulties we are dealing with at this time period. However, they are all default responses.  

Once we are aware of how we are responding to life, we can then ask ourselves two important questions: Is this the best response given the circumstances before me?  Is my response hindering my ability to lead with clarity and integrity? By deploying our meta-awareness, we can thoughtfully and mindfully choose how to respond rather than react reflexively and unconsciously. 

As Brene’ Brown in her book, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead ( Avery, 2012), reminds us: “What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being rather than knowing requires showing up and letting ourselves be seen. It requires us to dare greatly, to be vulnerable. The first step of that journey is understanding where we are, what we’re up against, and where we need to go.” Through engaging our meta-awareness, we create time for recovery, resiliency, and the capacity to past the voices of fear, shame, and frustration. In short, we discover the pathway to staying close to what matters most.  

A Monumental Shift In Consciousness

“Life is not about you; you are about life,” writes Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher, Father Richard Rohr. “You are an instance of a universal, and even eternal, patterns. Life is living itself in you. This realization is an earthquake in the brain, a hurricane in the heart, a Copernican revolution in the mind, and a monumental shift in consciousness.” And if we are to stay close to what matters most in our life, we need to embrace this insight, and engage in a monumental shift in consciousness 

This begins with the aforementioned three essential ways, but also expands to include more time and space in our lives to create and experience more moments of sharing and dialogue. For when we choose to make this a priority, we create room for inner growth, personal clarity, and deeper connections. As executive coach, Lindsay Leahy in her book, Take It All Apart: How to Live, Lead, and Work with Intention (River Grove Books, 2024), notes, “In its simplest form, connection is full presence and engagement. It’s what we experience when our heart, mind, body, and spirit are together and fully focused on where we are and what we are doing in the present moment.” 

With deeper connections and inner alignment, we comprehend the wisdom the Dalai Lama shared years: “A change in heart is always a change of mind.” The authors of the I-Ching, an ancient Chinese book that provides guidance and wisdom for navigating life’s challenges, understood this perspective when they wrote: “No revolution in outer things is possible without prior revolution in one’s inner way of being. Whatever change you aspire to . . . must be preceded by a change in heart” - I Ching Hexagram 49. 

For when we change our own heart, we also learn one more important lesson, namely “Del be del rah dareh,” which is a Farsi expression that means “Our hearts have pathways to one another.” We are all connected. And we are all part of something greater than us, even if it is not visible to us. For in the beginning, middle, and end, we are all a part of the universal and eternal pattern of life. And by staying close to what matters most, we are discovering the sacred within the ordinary, and are blessed because of this shift in consciousness. 

© Geery Howe 2026

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change

Why Are Core Values So Important?

During the first session of the From Vision to Action Leadership Training, which I taught annually for 24 years before retiring, I would ask the students the following question: “What are the key building blocks for generating sustainable, organizational success?”. Over the years, the answers would vary, often depending on the most recent New York Times best-seller book on leadership, management, or organizational change. 

Then, we would explore my answer to the question, which was the following:

- a cohesive leadership team that can engage in a robust dialogue.

- a strategic plan that integrates with an annual and quarterly performance management system which offers freedom, defines responsibility, and measures for accountability, and connects to a workable budget so people can monitor/display fiscal responsibility too.

- a communication systems that cascades information down into the organization in an accurate and timely manner.

- flexible and disciplined employees who can utilize their strengths and talents to achieve their goals.

- a cohesive organizational culture based on shared purpose/ mission, vision, and is empowered by a set of defined core values.

This was always a lively conversation with many people chiming in about different pieces that they missed or had not considered. We always agreed that this was not the complete and final answer to the question, but instead it was an excellent place to start exploring this important subject in greater detail, which is what we did over the four different class sessions.  

Next, we would examine the role of a strategic nexus. This nexus was made up of two parts, one being a core ideology, namely a vision, mission, and core values, and the other part being a strategic plan with goals and metrics. The purpose of the core ideology was to preserve the core of the company, i.e. the cultural DNA, and to be the piece that does not change, i.e. the line of continuity through change. The purpose of the strategic plan was to stimulate progress and to prevent status quo from becoming stagnant. It also increased urgency and created focus for all involved. 

As we discussed the subject of a strategic nexus, we always ended up exploring the role and importance of core values. First, all involved needed to understand that mission (what we do), vision (an aspirational destination, for lack of a better word), and core values (what guides our behaviors and decisions on a daily basis) form a trinity that is the core of thee company. While we can examine one of the three in great detail, they come as a package and their unity is critical to short and long term success. 

Based on my experiences as a consultant, I don’t think many leaders grasp the importance of the core values in the daily life of employees within a company. I remember one time years ago when we gathered for the second session of the From Vision to Action Leadership, that a student returned to class and was extremely upset with me. She had left the first session of class, and was fired up about the importance of core values. So, she traveled back home, wrote them up for her company, told everyone at work what the new core values were, and how she expected everyone to embrace them and role model them in all they did on a daily basis. And then, she waited to see a new level of performance to happen. However, most people ignored them, or just gave them lip service and nothing else. Not a single employee changed their behavior during the weeks that followed. So, by the time she came to the second session of class, she was mad. 

With her permission, we discussed as a class what had happened, and how this was a common problem that many leaders experienced. First, I had to point out that core values are an important part of the cultural DNA of the organization. But, in order for this to happen, the core values need to be owned and understood by the people who have execute them. Second, this level of ownership and understanding has to transcend time and place, meaning it has to get transferred and embraced by new employees, managers, and leaders. In essence, the company has to choose to institutionalize their core values and support people who role model them in the moment and over time. 

For when I have worked with companies who have chosen to make this long term commitment to their core values, leaders at all levels of the company, along with employees, recognize that the core values are integral to individual, and our shared, collective success within the company. They generate this success based on an alignment between inner clarity and outer action. They also come to understand that the core values are non-negotiable, not conditional or contextual. In short, they are lived on daily basis, and represent disciplined choices made over time. 

Translating core values into clear and concise core behaviors takes in-depth dialogue, and practical examples of what they look like in action. Nevertheless, in successful companies, you can witness these values in action by what people choose to do and not do. In essence, they reflect our beliefs translated into action and choices, culminating in a common understanding and shared commitment. 

During the coming weeks and months, I recommend you unpack your current core values, and discuss what they mean, and what they look like in action. Doing this will help all involve be better prepared for current and emerging challenges. 

© Geery Howe 2026

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change

Life By Design

Last summer, I was at a potluck with friends when one of them said to me: “I drive by a lot of houses with flower beds. Some are pretty, and some are just okay. But when I drive by your house, I think to myself ‘those flower beds are just nicer. They are pleasant to the eye’.”

“Thanks,” I replied.

“So, why are your beds different?”, he asked.

“My flower beds are built by design,” I shared. “It is easy to buy plants and to plant them. And often this results in some pretty flower beds. But the difference at our house is that I have designed the flower beds in a thoughtful manner. I also have gotten to know the plants, and created a pattern within the bed that unifies it and highlights different plants over the course of the growing season.” 

He nodded  thoughtfully, and said, “Oh, I get it now.” 

Starting in mid-August and running through to the end of September, I routinely will go through the various flower beds around our house and check on the original design to see if it is still the right design. For example, the sun bed in the back with the purple cone flowers no longer works, because the nearby maple tree has grown and created significant shade. So, the flowers are moved out, and this coming spring the shade loving hostas will be moved in. 

In another example, I had to do a complete restoration of four different iris beds last fall. During the previous spring, the iris had stopped blooming. What is interesting about iris plants is that they spread by growing their rhizomes outward. While they do not spread aggressively, they do form clumps that can become over crowded, choking off the flowering part of the iris. And this is what I suspected had happened over time. 

So last fall, I lifted all the iris plants with my garden fork. What I discovered was a dense mat of rhizomes, wildly intertwined with each other. I then understood that they could not flower because there was no room for further growth. So, with my clippers, I had to break up these mats of rhizomes, let go of the old dysfunctional parts of the plants, and find the original healthy part of the plants. By removing the older and no longer viable rhizomes, I was rejuvenating the plants, and ultimately restoring the original design to the whole flower bed. 

In short, during each growing season, I need to weed here and there in order to restore the original design. Sometimes, I also need to completely restore a flower bed, because the natural environment in that flower bed has evolved. The overall goal is to maintain, and as needed, to evolve the core design. 

Richard Pascale, Mark Millemann, and Linda Gioja in their book, Surfing The Edge of Chaos: The Laws of Nature and the New Laws of Business (Three Rivers Press, 2000), write that “business … can learn a lot from nature.” As they explain, nature, e.g. a rain forest, is a complex adaptive system. So is the human immune system, a termite colony, or a business. The challenge is that “complexity and chaos are frequently used interchangeably, even though they have nothing in common. The world is not chaotic; it is complex,” and humans “tend to regard chaotic that which they can not control.” They note that chaos is “an unlikely occurrence in which patterns cannot be found nor interrelationships understood. On the other hand, complexity “may feel chaotic but really it just is a complex adaptive system or event.”

Therefore, these authors recommend that we “design, don’t engineer” when dealing with complexity. To understand this recommendation, we need to understand the difference between designing something and engineering something. First, designing is the creative process of conceptualizing and planning, focusing on the form, purpose and meaning in order to create a workable solution. On the other hand, engineering is the application of scientific principles to analyze, develop, and build that solution, ensuring it is functional, scalable, safe, and practical for long-term use. The former focuses on inspiration, vision, and clear direction and/or intent, while the later focuses on feasibility and functionality. In short, design focuses on what we want, and engineering usually happens when there is a clear idea about what needs to be built. In short, the authors recommend we “design with the outcome/purpose in mind,” and then “discover what is working and build on that.”

When I reflect on these insights, I think about the world of training. Anybody can stand up, and talk for an hour or even six hours. Anybody can also offer a workshop or a training on various subjects. But the subtle and important difference between a good workshop and an excellent one is that the best trainings have been designed. It is the instructional design process that happens before the teaching that makes the teaching so powerful. 

Building on this perspective, the same goes with life and living. A life based on clarity of purpose and intent is a life created by design, not by default or by control. Instead, it is a life created by understanding what matters the most, and then building a life based on this inner clarity. It all boils down to first the design, and then the engineering. 

As we move through these winter months, all of us need to take stock, and think deeply about the design and intent of our life. Then, when we have figured out what matters most, we need to create this life, at home and at work. We need to design and then build a life based on purpose and clear intention. The outcome of this choice may requires us to restore some parts of our life, weed out other parts of our life, and actively design and create new parts so that what matters most is not lost in the change of the seasons. 

For me, winter is the perfect time to step back and look for the design in the midst of complexity, and on some days, we need to do this even when life feels chaotic. But with the right amount of reflection, dialogue, and discovery, we can find, and create a life so that ourselves and those we love and cherish can have the right amount of space to grow and flourish. 

Spring is coming sooner than we think, and now is the time to prepare for the miracle of the land awakening to new sounds, shapes and colors. This week, I encourage you to create a life based on design, rather than by default or by control. 

© Geery Howe 2026

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change